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Databases and Catalogs

• The Messier Catalog
The purpose of these web pages is to provide a complete guide to the 110 objects recognized as the standard Messier catalog. For each object, an image is presented together with a short description; click on the image to get a larger-format version. In addition to the images, we have also included some data on these objects such as celestial position (right ascension in hours and minutes [h:s], declination in degrees and minutes [deg:s]), apparent visual brightness in magnitudes [mag], apparent (angular) diameter in arc minutes [arc min], and approximate distance in thousands of light-years (kilo-light years [kly] .
• Catalog of Galaxies
This is a collection of images of 113 nearby galaxies assembled at the Department of Astrophysics, Princeton University. All are large, bright and well resolved. Observations with CCDs are form Palomar Observatory (31 galaxies) and from Lowell Observatory (82 galaxies). Images from Palomar are available in 3 photometric bands
• Catalog of GIF Images
This is a hugh archieve of astronomy GIF images and a wide variety of other science related images.
• Astronomical Catalogs
The National Space Science Data Center (NSSDC) provides access to a wide variety of astrophysics, space physics, solar physics, lunar and planetary data from NASA space flight missions, in addition to selected other data and some models and software. NSSDC provides access to online information bases about NASA and non-NASA data at the NSSDC and elsewhere as well as the spacecraft and experiments that have or will provide public access data. NSSDC also provides information and support relative to data management standards and technologies.
• Astronomical Data Center
Search the text of descriptions of more than 860 astronomical catalogs and more than 1500 data tables from a large number of international astronomical journals.
• SIMBAD
The SIMBAD astronomical database, created and maintained by the CDS in Strasbourg, brings together basic data, cross-identifications, observational measurements, and bibliography, for celestial objects outside the solar system: stars, galaxies, and nonstellar objects within our galaxy, or in external galaxies. A password is required.
• Asteroid Data Service
This data contains information concerning in the following areas: Critical list of asteroids (CRITLIST), Minimum Orbital Intersection Distance (MOID), Asteroid Orbital Elements (ASTORB), Asteroid Ephemeris (ASTEPH), Asteroid Observability Chart (OBS), Asteroid Observing Strategy (OBSSTRAT), Lowell Observatory Near-Earth Object Search (LONEOS), USNO-A1.0 Star Catalog Web Access (REFNET), Asteroid finder charts (ASTFINDER), and Information for amateurs
• Arp's Catalog of Peculiar Galaxies
This page summarizes the catalog of 338 peculiar galaxy views gathered by Dr. Halton C. Arp in his Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies. The catalog is a selection of unusual or peculiar galaxies, interacting pairs or larger groups. Arp compiled the list with photographs from the Palomar 200-inch telescope in 1966.
• Variable Star Database (AAVSO)
The American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO), founded in 1911, is the largest organization of variable star observers worldwide, with members in over 40 countries. Its purpose is to coordinate variable star observations made largely by dedicated amateur astronomers, evaluate the accuracy of these observations, compile, process, and publish them, and make them available to researchers, educators, and those who love variable stars.
•  CERES
Through funding from NASA, faculty at Montana State University and classroom teachers from across the nation have developed an extensive library of on-line and interactive K-12 science education materials for teaching astronomy. Closely aligned with the NRC National Science Education Standards, these web based lessons make maximum use of exciting on-line NASA resources, data, and images. In addition to classroom-ready materials using contemporary teaching strategies, CERES has developed several on-line NASA data search engines and two graduate level distance learning courses, available over the internet to K-12 teachers.

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