Herschel SPIRE: Submillimeter Point Source Catalog at 500 Microns

The Herschel SPIRE Point Source Catalog contains systematically extracted sources from about 9% of the sky mapped by the Herschel-SPIRE instrument at 500 microns. The catalog results from a homogeneous source extraction on 6878 scan maps, using four different photometry methods and excluding only regions with strong Galactic emission. It was produced by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and last updated in March 2026.

Use Cases

• Identify and catalog submillimeter point sources based on systematic extraction from Herschel-SPIRE maps.
• Compare photometric accuracy for point sources using the four different extraction methods provided.
• Study source reliability and spatial extent using the range of additional flags included in the catalog.
• Cross-reference catalog objects to original observations via the available cross-identification table.

Strengths

• Covers approximately 9% of the sky, providing a broad survey of submillimeter sources.
• Built from 6878 standard configuration scan maps, including calibration observations.
• Provides flux density uncertainties established via artificial source insertion experiments across a range of celestial backgrounds.
• Includes four different photometry extraction methods for comparison and reliability assessment.

Limitations

• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Excludes regions affected by strong Galactic emission, mostly in the Galactic Plane.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Systematic and homogeneous source extraction on Herschel-SPIRE instrument scan maps.

Time Range

null

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 19:57:43.151885; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Approximately 9% of the sky, excluding strong Galactic emission regions.