Chandra Announcement: Chandra Source Catalog version 2.1 preliminary data access
Tara Gokas
The next release of the Chandra Source Catalog (version 2.1) newly adds observations released publicly between January 1, 2015 and the end of 2021. Besides adding 7 years of data, CSC 2.1 ties the catalog to the Gaia astrometric reference frame and includes new algorithms that improve X-ray source position determination and aperture photometry.
Until the final, frozen catalog is released (in the first half of 2023), data that complete processing are immediately available to the community via the catalog "Current Database" view. At this time, approximately 2/3 of the CSC 2.1 observation stacks have completed processing, including roughly the same fraction that cover new sky regions not included in CSC 2.0.
The catalog "Current Database" view is accessible via the CSCview application and Virtual Observatory tools such as astroquery, and can also be visualized using the WorldWide Telescope. To support users in their interpretation of "Current Database" view entries prior to the full release of CSC 2.1, we provide a list of all CSC 2.1 observation stacks and their current processing status, updated daily.
For more information see the Chandra Source Catalog web pages at https://cxc.cfa.harvard.edu/csc/ or contact the Chandra Helpdesk with questions.