MSX Point Source Catalog V2.3: Infrared Sky Survey with 100,000+ Sources

Version 2.3 of the Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX) Point Source Catalog supersedes the 1999 release and contains 100,000 more sources. The catalog was created by NASA HEASARC from the CDS Catalog V/114 to complete the mid-infrared (4.2-25 micron) sky census, covering areas missed by IRAS and the Galactic Plane. It is based on co-added image plates for improved sensitivity and has astrometric accuracy more than 1" better than the previous version.

Use Cases

• Identify and catalog mid-infrared point sources based on six spectral band photometry.
• Study the Galactic Plane and IRAS gap regions based on the survey coverage mentioned in the description.
• Perform astrometric analysis based on improved positional accuracy compared to the previous catalog version.
• Cross-match infrared sources with other astronomical catalogs based on IAU-standard naming conventions.

Strengths

• Contains over 100,000 more sources than the previous Version 1.2 catalog from 1999.
• Astrometric accuracy is more than 1" better than the prior version, as indicated by comparison with Tycho-2 positions.
• Photometry is based on co-added image plates, which the description suggests improves sensitivity and flux reliability.
• Covers specific high-value regions: the Galactic Plane survey, IRAS gaps, and the Large Magellanic Cloud.

Limitations

• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• The table does not contain supplementary catalogs (singleton, low-reliability, or minicatalogs for 19 regions).

Provenance

Source

NASA HEASARC, based on the CDS Catalog V/114.

Collection Method

Created from co-added image plates from the SPIRIT III instrument on the MSX satellite.

Time Range

Catalog version released in December 2003; HEASARC table updated in April 2005.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 18:09:53.553734; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Covers the Galactic Plane, IRAS gap regions (about 4% of the sky), and the Large Magellanic Cloud.