Spectral Data Availibility

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on reliable sources for obtaining star spectral data, specifically flux versus wavelength. Key resources identified include the GAIA database, which offers limited spectral data, and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), which provides extensive spectral data through its navigator tool. Users can access spectral information by navigating to specific star locations and utilizing the "Quick Look" feature for detailed spectra. Additionally, NOIRLab's SPARCL tool allows for the retrieval of spectra from SDSS DR16 and DESI EDR, with a Jupyter notebook available for guidance.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of spectral data and its significance in astronomy
  • Familiarity with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) tools
  • Basic knowledge of using Jupyter notebooks for data analysis
  • Awareness of GAIA database limitations in spectral data availability
NEXT STEPS
  • Explore the SDSS navigator tool at https://skyserver.sdss.org/dr16/en/tools/chart/navi.aspx
  • Investigate the SPARCL tool on NOIRLab's website for spectral data retrieval
  • Review the Jupyter notebook on using SPARCL available at https://github.com/astro-datalab/notebooks-latest/blob/master/04_HowTos/SPARCL/How_to_use_SPARCL.ipynb
  • Research additional stellar spectral databases beyond GAIA and SDSS
USEFUL FOR

Astronomers, astrophysicists, data scientists, and researchers interested in stellar spectroscopy and data retrieval methods.

Joe Prendergast
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TL;DR
Looking for a reliable source of star spectral data
Does anyone know of a reliable source from which to get star spectral data (flux versus wavelength)? The best source I've found is GAIA which has spectral data for some stars but for many it does not.
 
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The SDSS (Sloan Digital Sky Survey) has a huge amount of spectral data. Start with the navigator at https://skyserver.sdss.org/dr16/en/tools/chart/navi.aspx

Then you put in a location, and make sure the "Objects with spectra" is clicked so you know which objects have spectra. You can pan around, zoom out, etc. looking. When you see one you want to know more about, click on "Quick Look" and you will see the spectrum. You can download the data if you want. This link also helps you find more data about stars: https://skyserver.sdss.org/dr16/en/help/cooking/stars/starshome.aspx

Attached are some examples of the Navigator page and the Quick Look page.
Screenshot 2024-06-02 at 8.27.58 AM.png
Screenshot 2024-06-02 at 8.28.30 AM.png
 
Joe Prendergast said:
The best source I've found is GAIA which has spectral data for some stars but for many it does not.
That will be a problem no matter where you look. (But why is it a problem?) Spectroscopy is time consuming, so you normally only do it if you really need to.
 

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