MAST CAOM ObsPointing: Astronomical Observation Pointing Data

A service providing positional pointing information for astronomical observations from the Common Archive Observation Model (CAOM) database. The data is served via a ConeSearch endpoint and is maintained by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), with a last recorded update in March 2026. It aggregates holdings from multiple space missions, with available missions listed on the MAST services page.

Use Cases

• Query astronomical observation metadata based on sky coordinates using the cone search feature.
• Cross-match observation pointing data from multiple space missions listed in the MAST holdings.
• Integrate positional metadata into astronomical data analysis pipelines via the CAOMTAP service interface.

Strengths

• Data is provided by the authoritative NASA organization.
• Last updated on 2026-03-13, indicating recent maintenance.
• Serves as a programmatic endpoint (ConeSearch) for automated access.
• Links to an auxiliary TAP service (CAOMTAP) for alternative access methods.

Limitations

• Row count and dataset size are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Aggregated from the Common Archive Observation Model (CAOM) database holdings.

Time Range

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Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 17:44:58.010648

Geography

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