SuperCOSMOS Science Archive

Glossary of SSA attributes
This Glossary alphabetically lists all attributes used in the SSA database(s) held in the SSA. If you would like to have more information about the schema tables please use the SSA Schema Browser.

A

Name Schema Table Database Description Type Length Unit Default Value Unified Content Descriptor

a twomass_psc 2MASS Catalog identifier of an optical source from either the Tycho 2 or USNO-A2.0 catalog that falls within ~5" of the TWOMASS source position. varchar 1 ID_ALTERNATIVE

absMag KnownQSO F287 Absolute magnitude (H_0=50 km/s/Mpc; q_0=0) real 4 mag -0.99999995e9

aI Detection F287 Semi-major axis of intensity-weighted fitted ellip. real 4 microns -0.99999995e9 EXTENSION_RAD

aI Detection PSSA Semi-major axis of intensity-weighted fitted ellip. real 4 microns EXTENSION_RAD

aI Detection SSA Semi-major axis of intensity-weighted fitted ellip. real 4 microns EXTENSION_RAD

air_temp twomass_scn 2MASS Air temperature at beginning of scan. real 4 degC PHYS_TEMP_MISC

air_temp twomass_sixx2_scn 2MASS air temperature (deg C) at beginning of scan real 4 degC

airm twomass_scn 2MASS Airmass at beginning of scan. real 4 PHOT_ATM_AIRMASS

airm twomass_sixx2_scn 2MASS beginning airmass of scan real 4

anom twomass_scn 2MASS Special flag indicating whether or not an unusual problem was found in the Atlas Images for this scan. smallint 2 CODE_MISC

anom twomass_sixx2_scn 2MASS entry in coadd anomaly table (0:not found|1:found) smallint 2

ap1 Detection F287 Area above 1st areal profile threshold int 4 pixels -99999999 EXTENSION_AREA

ap1 Detection PSSA Area above 1st areal profile threshold int 4 pixels EXTENSION_AREA

ap1 Detection SSA Area above 1st areal profile threshold int 4 pixels EXTENSION_AREA

ap2 Detection F287 Area above 2nd areal profile threshold int 4 pixels -99999999 EXTENSION_AREA

ap2 Detection PSSA Area above 2nd areal profile threshold int 4 pixels EXTENSION_AREA

ap2 Detection SSA Area above 2nd areal profile threshold int 4 pixels EXTENSION_AREA

ap3 Detection F287 Area above 3rd areal profile threshold int 4 pixels -99999999 EXTENSION_AREA

ap3 Detection PSSA Area above 3rd areal profile threshold int 4 pixels EXTENSION_AREA

ap3 Detection SSA Area above 3rd areal profile threshold int 4 pixels EXTENSION_AREA

ap4 Detection F287 Area above 4th areal profile threshold int 4 pixels -99999999 EXTENSION_AREA

ap4 Detection PSSA Area above 4th areal profile threshold int 4 pixels EXTENSION_AREA

ap4 Detection SSA Area above 4th areal profile threshold int 4 pixels EXTENSION_AREA

ap5 Detection F287 Area above 5th areal profile threshold int 4 pixels -99999999 EXTENSION_AREA

ap5 Detection PSSA Area above 5th areal profile threshold int 4 pixels EXTENSION_AREA

ap5 Detection SSA Area above 5th areal profile threshold int 4 pixels EXTENSION_AREA

ap6 Detection F287 Area above 6th areal profile threshold int 4 pixels -99999999 EXTENSION_AREA

ap6 Detection PSSA Area above 6th areal profile threshold int 4 pixels EXTENSION_AREA

ap6 Detection SSA Area above 6th areal profile threshold int 4 pixels EXTENSION_AREA

ap7 Detection F287 Area above 7th areal profile threshold int 4 pixels -99999999 EXTENSION_AREA

ap7 Detection PSSA Area above 7th areal profile threshold int 4 pixels EXTENSION_AREA

ap7 Detection SSA Area above 7th areal profile threshold int 4 pixels EXTENSION_AREA

ap8 Detection F287 Area above 8th areal profile threshold int 4 pixels -99999999 EXTENSION_AREA

ap8 Detection PSSA Area above 8th areal profile threshold int 4 pixels EXTENSION_AREA

ap8 Detection SSA Area above 8th areal profile threshold int 4 pixels EXTENSION_AREA

apParam Plate F287 Areal profile parameter real 4 -0.99999995e9 REDUCT_PARAM

apParam Plate PSSA Areal profile parameter real 4 REDUCT_PARAM

apParam Plate SSA Areal profile parameter real 4 REDUCT_PARAM

area Detection F287 Area within detection isophote int 4 pixels -99999999 EXTENSION_AREA

area Detection PSSA Area within detection isophote int 4 pixels EXTENSION_AREA

area Detection SSA Area within detection isophote int 4 pixels EXTENSION_AREA

areaCut Plate F287 Minimum area of detected object tinyint 1 pixels 0 NUMBER

areaCut Plate PSSA Minimum area of detected object tinyint 1 pixels NUMBER

areaCut Plate SSA Minimum area of detected object tinyint 1 pixels NUMBER

areaMax Plate F287 Maximum object area in IAM file int 4 pixels -99999999 EXTENSION_AREA

areaMax Plate PSSA Maximum object area in IAM file int 4 pixels EXTENSION_AREA

areaMax Plate SSA Maximum object area in IAM file int 4 pixels EXTENSION_AREA

areaMin Plate F287 Minimum object area in IAM file int 4 pixels -99999999 EXTENSION_AREA

areaMin Plate PSSA Minimum object area in IAM file int 4 pixels EXTENSION_AREA

areaMin Plate SSA Minimum object area in IAM file int 4 pixels EXTENSION_AREA

astResidX Plate F287 Residual of astrometric fit in X real 4 arcsec -0.99999995e9 FIT_RESIDUAL

astResidX Plate PSSA Residual of astrometric fit in X real 4 arcsec FIT_RESIDUAL

astResidX Plate SSA Residual of astrometric fit in X real 4 arcsec FIT_RESIDUAL

astResidY Plate F287 Residual of astrometric fit in Y real 4 arcsec -0.99999995e9 FIT_RESIDUAL

astResidY Plate PSSA Residual of astrometric fit in Y real 4 arcsec FIT_RESIDUAL

astResidY Plate SSA Residual of astrometric fit in Y real 4 arcsec FIT_RESIDUAL

aU Detection F287 Semi-major axis of unweighted fitted ellipse real 4 microns -0.99999995e9 EXTENSION_RAD

aU Detection PSSA Semi-major axis of unweighted fitted ellipse real 4 microns EXTENSION_RAD

aU Detection SSA Semi-major axis of unweighted fitted ellipse real 4 microns EXTENSION_RAD

aXmax Plate F287 SuperCOSMOS XMAX of measured area real 4 microns -0.99999995e9 POS_PLATE_X

aXmax Plate PSSA SuperCOSMOS XMAX of measured area real 4 microns POS_PLATE_X

aXmax Plate SSA SuperCOSMOS XMAX of measured area real 4 microns POS_PLATE_X

aXmin Plate F287 SuperCOSMOS XMIN of measured area real 4 microns -0.99999995e9 POS_PLATE_X

aXmin Plate PSSA SuperCOSMOS XMIN of measured area real 4 microns POS_PLATE_X

aXmin Plate SSA SuperCOSMOS XMIN of measured area real 4 microns POS_PLATE_X

aYmax Plate F287 SuperCOSMOS YMAX of measured area real 4 microns -0.99999995e9 POS_PLATE_Y

aYmax Plate PSSA SuperCOSMOS YMAX of measured area real 4 microns POS_PLATE_Y

aYmax Plate SSA SuperCOSMOS YMAX of measured area real 4 microns POS_PLATE_Y

aYmin Plate F287 SuperCOSMOS YMIN of measured area real 4 microns -0.99999995e9 POS_PLATE_Y

aYmin Plate PSSA SuperCOSMOS YMIN of measured area real 4 microns POS_PLATE_Y

aYmin Plate SSA SuperCOSMOS YMIN of measured area real 4 microns POS_PLATE_Y

A
Name	Schema Table	Database	Description	Type	Length	Unit	Default Value	Unified Content Descriptor
a	twomass_psc	2MASS	Catalog identifier of an optical source from either the Tycho 2 or USNO-A2.0 catalog that falls within ~5" of the TWOMASS source position.	varchar	1			ID_ALTERNATIVE
absMag	KnownQSO	F287	Absolute magnitude (H_0=50 km/s/Mpc; q_0=0)	real	4	mag	-0.99999995e9
aI	Detection	F287	Semi-major axis of intensity-weighted fitted ellip.	real	4	microns	-0.99999995e9	EXTENSION_RAD
aI	Detection	PSSA	Semi-major axis of intensity-weighted fitted ellip.	real	4	microns		EXTENSION_RAD
aI	Detection	SSA	Semi-major axis of intensity-weighted fitted ellip.	real	4	microns		EXTENSION_RAD
air_temp	twomass_scn	2MASS	Air temperature at beginning of scan.	real	4	degC		PHYS_TEMP_MISC
air_temp	twomass_sixx2_scn	2MASS	air temperature (deg C) at beginning of scan	real	4	degC
airm	twomass_scn	2MASS	Airmass at beginning of scan.	real	4			PHOT_ATM_AIRMASS
airm	twomass_sixx2_scn	2MASS	beginning airmass of scan	real	4
anom	twomass_scn	2MASS	Special flag indicating whether or not an unusual problem was found in the Atlas Images for this scan.	smallint	2			CODE_MISC
anom	twomass_sixx2_scn	2MASS	entry in coadd anomaly table (0:not found\|1:found)	smallint	2
ap1	Detection	F287	Area above 1st areal profile threshold	int	4	pixels	-99999999	EXTENSION_AREA
ap1	Detection	PSSA	Area above 1st areal profile threshold	int	4	pixels		EXTENSION_AREA
ap1	Detection	SSA	Area above 1st areal profile threshold	int	4	pixels		EXTENSION_AREA
ap2	Detection	F287	Area above 2nd areal profile threshold	int	4	pixels	-99999999	EXTENSION_AREA
ap2	Detection	PSSA	Area above 2nd areal profile threshold	int	4	pixels		EXTENSION_AREA
ap2	Detection	SSA	Area above 2nd areal profile threshold	int	4	pixels		EXTENSION_AREA
ap3	Detection	F287	Area above 3rd areal profile threshold	int	4	pixels	-99999999	EXTENSION_AREA
ap3	Detection	PSSA	Area above 3rd areal profile threshold	int	4	pixels		EXTENSION_AREA
ap3	Detection	SSA	Area above 3rd areal profile threshold	int	4	pixels		EXTENSION_AREA
ap4	Detection	F287	Area above 4th areal profile threshold	int	4	pixels	-99999999	EXTENSION_AREA
ap4	Detection	PSSA	Area above 4th areal profile threshold	int	4	pixels		EXTENSION_AREA
ap4	Detection	SSA	Area above 4th areal profile threshold	int	4	pixels		EXTENSION_AREA
ap5	Detection	F287	Area above 5th areal profile threshold	int	4	pixels	-99999999	EXTENSION_AREA
ap5	Detection	PSSA	Area above 5th areal profile threshold	int	4	pixels		EXTENSION_AREA
ap5	Detection	SSA	Area above 5th areal profile threshold	int	4	pixels		EXTENSION_AREA
ap6	Detection	F287	Area above 6th areal profile threshold	int	4	pixels	-99999999	EXTENSION_AREA
ap6	Detection	PSSA	Area above 6th areal profile threshold	int	4	pixels		EXTENSION_AREA
ap6	Detection	SSA	Area above 6th areal profile threshold	int	4	pixels		EXTENSION_AREA
ap7	Detection	F287	Area above 7th areal profile threshold	int	4	pixels	-99999999	EXTENSION_AREA
ap7	Detection	PSSA	Area above 7th areal profile threshold	int	4	pixels		EXTENSION_AREA
ap7	Detection	SSA	Area above 7th areal profile threshold	int	4	pixels		EXTENSION_AREA
ap8	Detection	F287	Area above 8th areal profile threshold	int	4	pixels	-99999999	EXTENSION_AREA
ap8	Detection	PSSA	Area above 8th areal profile threshold	int	4	pixels		EXTENSION_AREA
ap8	Detection	SSA	Area above 8th areal profile threshold	int	4	pixels		EXTENSION_AREA
apParam	Plate	F287	Areal profile parameter	real	4		-0.99999995e9	REDUCT_PARAM
apParam	Plate	PSSA	Areal profile parameter	real	4			REDUCT_PARAM
apParam	Plate	SSA	Areal profile parameter	real	4			REDUCT_PARAM
area	Detection	F287	Area within detection isophote	int	4	pixels	-99999999	EXTENSION_AREA
area	Detection	PSSA	Area within detection isophote	int	4	pixels		EXTENSION_AREA
area	Detection	SSA	Area within detection isophote	int	4	pixels		EXTENSION_AREA
areaCut	Plate	F287	Minimum area of detected object	tinyint	1	pixels	0	NUMBER
areaCut	Plate	PSSA	Minimum area of detected object	tinyint	1	pixels		NUMBER
areaCut	Plate	SSA	Minimum area of detected object	tinyint	1	pixels		NUMBER
areaMax	Plate	F287	Maximum object area in IAM file	int	4	pixels	-99999999	EXTENSION_AREA
areaMax	Plate	PSSA	Maximum object area in IAM file	int	4	pixels		EXTENSION_AREA
areaMax	Plate	SSA	Maximum object area in IAM file	int	4	pixels		EXTENSION_AREA
areaMin	Plate	F287	Minimum object area in IAM file	int	4	pixels	-99999999	EXTENSION_AREA
areaMin	Plate	PSSA	Minimum object area in IAM file	int	4	pixels		EXTENSION_AREA
areaMin	Plate	SSA	Minimum object area in IAM file	int	4	pixels		EXTENSION_AREA
astResidX	Plate	F287	Residual of astrometric fit in X	real	4	arcsec	-0.99999995e9	FIT_RESIDUAL
astResidX	Plate	PSSA	Residual of astrometric fit in X	real	4	arcsec		FIT_RESIDUAL
astResidX	Plate	SSA	Residual of astrometric fit in X	real	4	arcsec		FIT_RESIDUAL
astResidY	Plate	F287	Residual of astrometric fit in Y	real	4	arcsec	-0.99999995e9	FIT_RESIDUAL
astResidY	Plate	PSSA	Residual of astrometric fit in Y	real	4	arcsec		FIT_RESIDUAL
astResidY	Plate	SSA	Residual of astrometric fit in Y	real	4	arcsec		FIT_RESIDUAL
aU	Detection	F287	Semi-major axis of unweighted fitted ellipse	real	4	microns	-0.99999995e9	EXTENSION_RAD
aU	Detection	PSSA	Semi-major axis of unweighted fitted ellipse	real	4	microns		EXTENSION_RAD
aU	Detection	SSA	Semi-major axis of unweighted fitted ellipse	real	4	microns		EXTENSION_RAD
aXmax	Plate	F287	SuperCOSMOS XMAX of measured area	real	4	microns	-0.99999995e9	POS_PLATE_X
aXmax	Plate	PSSA	SuperCOSMOS XMAX of measured area	real	4	microns		POS_PLATE_X
aXmax	Plate	SSA	SuperCOSMOS XMAX of measured area	real	4	microns		POS_PLATE_X
aXmin	Plate	F287	SuperCOSMOS XMIN of measured area	real	4	microns	-0.99999995e9	POS_PLATE_X
aXmin	Plate	PSSA	SuperCOSMOS XMIN of measured area	real	4	microns		POS_PLATE_X
aXmin	Plate	SSA	SuperCOSMOS XMIN of measured area	real	4	microns		POS_PLATE_X
aYmax	Plate	F287	SuperCOSMOS YMAX of measured area	real	4	microns	-0.99999995e9	POS_PLATE_Y
aYmax	Plate	PSSA	SuperCOSMOS YMAX of measured area	real	4	microns		POS_PLATE_Y
aYmax	Plate	SSA	SuperCOSMOS YMAX of measured area	real	4	microns		POS_PLATE_Y
aYmin	Plate	F287	SuperCOSMOS YMIN of measured area	real	4	microns	-0.99999995e9	POS_PLATE_Y
aYmin	Plate	PSSA	SuperCOSMOS YMIN of measured area	real	4	microns		POS_PLATE_Y
aYmin	Plate	SSA	SuperCOSMOS YMIN of measured area	real	4	microns		POS_PLATE_Y

WFAU, Institute for Astronomy,
Royal Observatory, Blackford Hill
Edinburgh, EH9 3HJ, UK

mar@roe.ac.uk
16/01/2026

Glossary of SSA attributes

This Glossary alphabetically lists all attributes used in the SSA database(s) held in the SSA. If you would like to have more information about the schema tables please use the SSA Schema Browser.

A