REFLEX: 447 X-Ray Galaxy Clusters from a Southern Sky Survey

447 galaxy clusters form the largest statistically complete X-ray flux-limited sample, selected from the ROSAT-All Sky Survey and spectroscopically confirmed by ESO. The catalog provides X-ray properties, redshifts, and identification details for clusters in a 4.24 steradian area of the southern sky. NASA HEASARC created this table in October 2004 based on data from the Centre de Données astronomiques de Strasbourg.

Use Cases

• Test cosmological models based on the statistics of large-scale structure derived from the cluster sample.
• Study galaxy cluster evolution and properties based on X-ray luminosities and redshifts.
• Assess the completeness and contamination of X-ray surveys based on the described 90% completeness and 9% AGN contamination limit.
• Compare cluster parameters under different cosmological constants using the provided calculations for Lambda and Einstein-de Sitter universes.

Strengths

• Sample is statistically complete and flux-limited above 3 x 10^-12 erg/s/cm^2.
• More than 90% complete with a conservative upper limit of 9% on clusters with dominant X-ray contamination from AGN.
• Covers a large area of 4.24 steradians in the southern sky.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA HEASARC), based on data from the Centre de Données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS).

Collection Method

Clusters were first selected by X-ray emission in the ROSAT-All Sky Survey and subsequently spectroscopically identified in an ESO key program.

Time Range

Survey period not specified; catalog table created in October 2004.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 17:33:11.165040; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Southern sky, covering an area of 4.24 steradians.