HCG: Hickson Catalog of 100 Compact Galaxy Groups

100 compact groups of galaxies were identified from a systematic search of the Palomar Observatory Sky Survey. The catalog includes dynamical parameters for 92 of the groups and was created by NASA HEASARC based on tables from the ADC/CDS data centers, with refinements made in 2005. This database table contains the information from key 1982 and 1992 astrophysical journal publications.

Use Cases

• Study galaxy group dynamics based on included dynamical parameters.
• Analyze the properties of compact galaxy groups based on the isolation and brightness criteria.
• Cross-reference group-level data with individual galaxy data in the related HCGGALAXY table.

Strengths

• Contains a well-defined sample of 100 compact galaxy groups.
• Includes derived dynamical parameters for 92 of the 100 groups.
• Based on peer-reviewed catalog data from 1982 and 1992 publications.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data on individual galaxies within the groups is not included in this table.

Provenance

Source

NASA HEASARC, based on machine-readable tables from the ADC/CDS data centers (CDS catalog VII/213).

Collection Method

Derived from the Hickson Catalog, which was created via a systematic search of the Palomar Observatory Sky Survey red prints.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 17:24:40.624125; freshness should be verified.