RC3: Third Reference Catalog of Bright Galaxies

The Third Reference Catalogue of Bright Galaxies (RC3) is a machine-readable version of the 1991 catalog by de Vaucouleurs et al., including corrections from 1994. It was created by NASA's HEASARC in 2007 based on the CDS table VII/155/rc3. The catalog contains parameters for bright galaxies, with detailed methodology and code definitions available in the original printed publication.

Use Cases

• Classify galaxy types based on cataloged morphological parameters.
• Analyze the distribution of bright galaxies using positional and photometric data.
• Train models for galaxy property prediction using derived physical quantities.
• Cross-reference galaxy data with other astronomical surveys using standardized identifiers.

Strengths

• Catalog is a corrected and updated version of a major 1991 reference work.
• Data is provided by NASA's High Energy Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center (HEASARC).
• Includes corrections and additions published in a 1994 peer-reviewed journal.

Limitations

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

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA HEASARC), based on CDS table VII/155/rc3.

Collection Method

Machine-readable conversion of the printed Third Reference Catalogue of Bright Galaxies.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 17:23:35.909777; freshness should be verified.