format for xmatch file

Question

I am trying to do something very simple: upload a list of ra,decs and cross match to various catalogues

I can't find anything in the docs or on the web or in the forum on the format for the file to upload

I tried uploading files like:

First try:

RA,Dec

103.3, -26.8

Second try:

ra,dec

103.3, -26.8

Third try:

# ra, dec

103.3, -26.8

Please tell me what a file containing a list of ras and decs should look like so that I can xmatch them

many thanks, Steve Warren

Answer 1

Hi Steve,

A CSV table formatted like this

ra,dec,gmag,rmag,imag
175.215070742307,-38.4897863179213,24.8592,24.1487,23.7685
175.241595469141,-38.4163769993698,25.0973,24.3579,24.4063
175.25128999751,-38.4393292753547,25.0834,24.6118,24.01

should work. This looks like your 2nd version. Note the there can be any number of columns, and ra + dec need not be named "ra", "dec" (the web crossmatch will ask you which columns are in fact RA and Dec), and the order of columns is also not important).

What is the problem you are encountering? It won't let you upload the file? Crossmatch fails?

Thanks,

Robert

Comments

Many thanks. It's helpful to know the # sign isn't needed and that the names of ra and dec could be anything, since crossmatch will ask you - good idea perhaps to note something like this on the page itself?

My difficulty i.e. why my first two files didn't work even though the format is OK turned out to be because there was some invisible tabs in my files.

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Glad it worked out! We'll check if we can maybe filter out extra tabs, whitespace, etc.
Please don't hesitate to reach out again if you have any other questions.
Robert