Omega Centauri X-Ray Point Source Catalog from XMM-Newton

146 X-ray sources detected in the Omega Centauri globular cluster by XMM-Newton on August 13, 2001, during a 37 ks observation. The catalog, created by NASA HEASARC in May 2007, includes positions, count rates, and correlations with Chandra data for sources within and outside the cluster's half-mass radius. Most sources have luminosities between ~10^31 and 10^32 ergs s^-1 and are likely cataclysmic variables or active binaries.

Use Cases

• Identifying and classifying faint X-ray sources based on their luminosity and spectral hardness mentioned in the description.
• Studying the spatial distribution of X-ray sources relative to the cluster's core and half-mass radii.
• Analyzing time variability of X-ray sources by comparing XMM-Newton and Chandra observations.
• Estimating background source contamination within the observed field.
• Investigating the population of cataclysmic variables and active binaries in a massive globular cluster.

Strengths

• Includes 146 X-ray sources with positional and count rate data.
• Cross-referenced with Chandra data, with 63 sources having a counterpart and 15 showing time variability.
• Observation details are specific, including a 37 ks exposure time and a detection threshold of 1.3 x 10^31 ergs s^-1.
• Provides estimates for background source contamination (e.g., ~9 of 27 sources within the half-mass radius).

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Detailed spectral information for 17 selected sources from the reference paper is not included in this table.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA HEASARC), based on CDS catalog J/A+A/400/521.

Collection Method

X-ray observation performed with the XMM-Newton satellite using the medium filter.

Time Range

Primary observation on August 13, 2001; referenced Chandra observation from January 24-25, 2000.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03 13 16:38:42.541967; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Omega Centauri (NGC 5139) globular cluster, with a specified distance of 5.3 kpc.