Astron. Astrophys. 349, 389-405 (1999)

The ROSAT all-sky survey bright source catalogue

W. Voges, B. Aschenbach, Th. Boller, H. Bräuninger, U. Briel, W. Burkert, K. Dennerl, J. Englhauser, R. Gruber, F. Haberl, G. Hartner, G. Hasinger, M. Kürster, E. Pfeffermann, W. Pietsch, P. Predehl, C. Rosso, J.H.M.M. Schmitt, J. Trümper and H.U. Zimmermann

Max-Planck-Institut für Extraterrestrische Physik, Postfach 1603, D-85740 Garching, Germany

Received 1 March 1999 / Accepted 25 June 1999

Abstract

We present the ROSAT All-Sky Survey Bright Source Catalogue (RASS-BSC, revision 1RXS) derived from the all-sky survey performed during the first half year (1990/91) of the ROSAT mission. 18,811 sources are catalogued (i) down to a limiting ROSAT PSPC count-rate of 0.05 cts s^-1 in the 0.1-2.4 keV energy band, (ii) with a detection likelihood of at least 15 and (iii) at least 15 source counts. The 18,811 sources underwent both an automatic validation and an interactive visual verification process in which for 94% of the sources the results of the standard processing were confirmed. The remaining 6% have been analyzed using interactive methods and these sources have been flagged. Flags are given for (i) nearby sources; (ii) sources with positional errors; (iii) extended sources; (iv) sources showing complex emission structures; and (v) sources which are missed by the standard analysis software. Broad band (0.1-2.4 keV) images are available for sources flagged by (ii), (iii) and (iv). For each source the ROSAT name, position in equatorial coordinates, positional error, source count-rate and error, background count-rate, exposure time, two hardness-ratios and errors, extent and likelihood of extent, likelihood of detection, and the source extraction radius are provided. At a brightness limit of 0.1 cts s^-1 (8,547 sources) the catalogue represents a sky coverage of 92%. The RASS-BSC, the table of possible identification candidates, and the broad band images are available in electronic form (Voges et al. 1996a) via http://wave.xray.mpe.mpg.de/rosat/catalogues/rass-bsc . ¹

Key words: catalogs surveys X-rays: general

Present address: Astrophysikalisches Institut Potsdam, An der Sternwarte 16, 14482 Potsdam, Germany

Present address: ESO-La Silla, Alonso de Cordova 3107, Vitacura, Casilla 19001, Santiago 19, Chile

Present address: Hamburger Sternwarte, Gojenbergsweg 112, 21029 Hamburg, Germany

Send offprint requests to: W. Voges (wvoges@mpe.mpg.de)

© European Southern Observatory (ESO) 1999

Online publication: September 2, 1999

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