The UKIDSS Galactic Plane Survey - progress page
This web page is intended to provide easily searchable
lists of the fields already observed in the Galactic Plane Survey. This
is 1 of 5 surveys being undertaken with the UKIRT Wide Field Camera (WFCAM).
Releases of survey data are public to all astronomers in ESO countries
who have registered with the
WFCAM Science Archive in Edinburgh. Approximately 18 months later the
data will be public to the world.
The UKIDSS Early Data Release occurred on 10 February 2006 and included
data from the Galactic Plane Survey obtained between 10 May and 20 June
2005. The official release page, instructions for archive rgistration and
an archive link can all be found at
The UKIDSS Early Data Release.
All these data are part of the "GPS1 block" (see below)
Survey blocks, data tiles and pointings
Sections of the GPS representing approximately 1 month of desired observations
are uploaded in blocks, denoted GPSN, where N is a positive integer. Blocks
have a fairly narrow range in R.A., in order to assist scheduling. Observations
consist of complete tiles covering 0.75 square degrees. The tiles are composed
of 4 adjacent pointings by WFCAM (which has 4 non-buttable array detectors),
with small overlaps to ensure complete coverage and good astrometry. The
pointings are the actual database objects listed in the WFCAM Science Archive.
Observations in 2005.
A Plot of observed fields from CASU , the Cambridge Astronomical Survey Unit, who are responsible for
WFCAM data processing. Note this plot does yet not show all of the observed
areas of Taurus-Auriga-Perseus dark cloud complex, which lies below the plane.
GPS1 was a large block observed during May-June 2005 (galactic l=-2 to 60),
during which period the image quality was not so good, and observing overheads
were fairly high. The regions from this block which were actually observed
and have passed quality control are now publically available.
No of tiles observed in GPS1:
28 at JHK in photometric conditions, with |b|<1
4 at K only in non photometric conditions, with 1<|b|<5.
GPS2 was a subset of GPS1, with l=-2 to 50, done from 31 August - 14 October
2005.
No of tiles observed in GPS2:
8 at JHK in photometric conditions, with |b|<1
126 at K only in non photometric conditions, with 1<|b|<5.
GPS3: (l=48 to 107) observed from 8 October - 26 November 2005.
No of tiles observed in GPS3:
13 at JHK in photometric conditions, with |b|<1
41 at K only in non photometric conditions, with 1<|b|<5.
GPS4: a winter plane block at l=141 to l=173, observed from 22 October -
29 December 2005.
(the telescope cannot observe at Dec>60, leaving a gap from l=107 to l=141).
GPS4 includes a start on the 1st epoch of the 300 square degree
Taurus-Auriga-Perseus survey at JHK+H2 survey, which is at -5>l>-25
roughly.
No of tiles observed in GPS4:
27 at JHK in photometric conditions, with |b|<1
23 at JHK+H2 in photometric conditions, in Taurus-Auriga-Perseus
90 at K only in non photometric conditions, with 1<|b|<5.
GPS5: winter plane blocks at l=164 to l=173 and l=190 to 221, observed
from 9 December 2005 - 19 January 2006. GPS5
includes a start on the 2nd epoch of the 300 square degree
Taurus-Auriga-Perseus survey at K+H2 survey, which is at -5>l>-25
roughly.
No of tiles observed in GPS5:
26 at JHK in photometric conditions, with |b|<1
284 at K+H2 in photometric conditions, in Taurus-Auriga-Perseus
1 at K only in non photometric conditions, with 1<|b|<5.
GPS1 xml file. Status at 15 August 05
GPS2 xml file. Status at 28 February
06
GPS3 xml file. Status at 28 February
06
GPS4 xml file. Status at 28 February
06
GPS5 xml file. Status at 28 February
06
GPS6 xml file. Status at 8 September
06
GPS7 xml file. Status at 8 September
06
GPS8 xml file. Status at 8 September
06
GPS9 xml file. Ready for upload.
GPS10 xml file. Ready for upload.
GPS11 xml file. Ready for upload.
GPS12 xml file. Ready for upload.
Author: Phil Lucas
This page last updated on 30th October 2006.