The digitized first Byurakan survey – DFBS

¹ Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory and Isaac Newton Institute of Chile, Armenian branch, Byurakan 378433, Aragatzotn province, Armenia e-mail: aregmick@apaven.am
² Università di Roma “La Sapienza”, Piazzale A. Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy e-mail: Roberto.Nesci@uniroma1.it
³ Cornell University, 220 Space Sciences Building, Ithaca, NY 14853-6801, USA e-mail: dweedman@isc.astro.cornell.edu
⁴ MIGG s.r.l., via Pertini 61, 87030 Rende, Italy e-mail: cirimele@migginformatica.com
⁵ Yerevan State University, Alex Manoogian str. 1, Yerevan 375049, Armenia

Received: 12 August 2006
Accepted: 8 January 2007

Abstract

Context.The First Byurakan Survey (FBS), also known as the Markarian Survey, is the largest low resolution spectroscopic survey of the sky and led to the discovery of 1500 UV-excess (UVX) galaxies and starburst galaxies. The FBS plates have also been used to search for UVX stellar objects, late-type stars, and for the identification of unusual infrared sources.

Aims.The Digitized First Byurakan Survey (DFBS) provides the astronomical community with a digitized version of the FBS images and with the extracted spectra for the objects present in the plates.

Methods.Nearly 2000 plates have been scanned and stored and programs were developed to compute the astrometric solution, extract the spectra, and apply wavelength and photometric calibration for the objects present in the plates.

Results.The DFBS database and catalog of objects has been assembled. The DFBS database contains data for 20 000 000 objects present in the survey and provides tools for accessing the DFBS.

Conclusions.New scientific projects as well as existing surveys will benefit by the digitized images and the ready-to-use extracted spectra which will allow an efficient computer-based analysis of the dataset.