GLIMPSE Proper Catalog: Galactic Center Source Motions Over a Decade

The GLIMPSE Proper project re-images about 43 square degrees of the Galactic center. It measures the proper motions of millions of sources within 5 degrees of the Galactic center over the last decade. The dataset is provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and was last updated in March 2026.

Use Cases

• Analyze stellar kinematics and dynamics based on proper motion measurements.
• Study the structure and evolution of the Galactic center based on multi-epoch imagery.
• Identify and catalog variable or high-motion objects based on positional changes over time.
• Validate or supplement astrometric models for the Milky Way's central region.

Strengths

• Covers a significant area of about 43 square degrees centered on the Galactic center.
• Tracks millions of sources, indicating a large-scale survey.
• Provides temporal coverage over approximately a decade, enabling motion analysis.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect temporal or observational bias inherent to the specific survey methodology.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Re-imaging of the Galactic center region to measure proper motions.

Time Range

Observations span the last decade prior to the dataset's creation.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 17:59:40.380078; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Covers a region within 5 degrees of the Galactic center.