ROSAT All-Sky Survey: 397 Soft High-Latitude X-Ray Sources

A 1999 catalog from NASA HEASARC summarizes 397 bright, soft X-ray sources from the ROSAT All-Sky Survey at high galactic latitudes. It provides spectroscopic identifications for 108 sources, with the largest classes being AGN, magnetic cataclysmic variables, and hot white dwarfs. The database was created based on tables provided by the authors to CDS/ADC.

Use Cases

• Classifying X-ray source populations based on hardness ratios and galactic latitude criteria mentioned in the description.
• Cross-matching soft X-ray sources with optical counterparts to facilitate identification, as noted in the description.
• Analyzing the distribution and properties of specific source classes like AGN and cataclysmic variables referenced in the data.

Strengths

• Contains a complete sample of 397 sources meeting specific brightness, softness, and latitude criteria.
• Provides spectroscopic identifications for 108 sources and other identifications for 18 more, with only 1 source remaining unidentified.
• Data is sourced from the authoritative ROSAT All-Sky Survey and curated by NASA HEASARC.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Last updated 2026-03-13 18:58:27.796787; freshness should be verified.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA HEASARC)

Collection Method

Created based on tables provided by the authors to CDS/ADC.

Time Range

Based on the ROSAT All-Sky Survey (1990s).

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 18:58:27.796787.

Geography

All-sky, with sources at galactic latitudes |b| > 20 degrees.