Sloan Digital Sky Surveys
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sdssurveys.bsky.social
Sloan Digital Sky Surveys
@sdssurveys.bsky.social
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Mapping the Universe since 1998. Featuring @milkywaymapper.bsky.social, @blackholemapper.bsky.social, and @localvolumemapper.bsky.social. We'll let you know when we are done.


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sdssurveys.bsky.social
DR19 also includes nine brand-new Value Added Catalogs (VACs). These catalogs are based on SDSS-V spectra and data products, and produced by SDSS-V collaboration members. Find these 9, and the 67 VACs from earlier data releases all here: www.sdss.org/dr19/data_ac... #DR19
M-dwarf infrared spectrum in black, and model fit in red, showing good agreement. This figure is taken from Behmard et al. 2025, and their M-Dwarf VAC is available in DR19 from https://www.sdss.org/dr19/data_access/value-added-catalogs/, together with 8 other DR19 brand-new value added catalogs.
July 11, 2025 at 10:48 AM
sdssurveys.bsky.social
In DR19, Local Volume Mapper are releasing a tile of the Helix Nebula as a preview into future data releases. They also have a tutorial to guide you through using the data: www.sdss.org/dr19/lvm/tut... #DR19
This image shows the Local Volume Mapper data of the Helix Nebula. The round fibers are arranged into a hexagon, and are coloured by combining emission lines of sulphur (red), hydrogen (green) and oxygen (blue). Image credit: Aida Wofford, and you can find this image and others on the SDSS-V image gallery: https://www.sdss.org/science/image-gallery/. Make a version of this image yourself with the tutorial on https://www.sdss.org/dr19/lvm/tutorials/
July 11, 2025 at 10:19 AM
sdssurveys.bsky.social
@localvolumemapper.bsky.social is an integral-field spectroscopic survey of the Milky Way, the Magellanic Clouds, and other Local Volume Galaxies. Read more about what they are doing here: www.sdss.org/dr19/lvm/abo... #DR19
This image shows the Orion Nebula as observed by Local Volume Mapper, and published in Kreckel et al. 2024 (https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2024A%26A...689A.352K/abstract). Different emission lines (hydrogen, silicon and oxygen) are represented with different colour, tracing the ionisation structure of the nebula, carving a bubble in the surrounding dense gas shown by WISE 12micrometer imaging. The ionized gas emission traces wispy, filamentary structures and dusty eroding clouds and clumps. Figure taken from https://www.sdss.org/dr19/lvm/about/.
July 11, 2025 at 10:18 AM
sdssurveys.bsky.social
All @blackholemapper.bsky.social science programs are available here, www.sdss.org/dr19/bhm/pro..., and they include time domain programs such AQMES (All-Quasar Multi-Epoch Spectroscopy and reverberation mapping, X-ray follow-up programs.
This image shows at the bottom a cartoon of an Active Galactic Nucleus, with X-rays produced by the central hot corona, and then the accretion disc and broad line region clouds further out. The top shows three images highlighting the science that Black Hole Mapper is focusing on, with X-ray follow-up in the centre, and reverberation mapping and multi-epoch spectroscopy located above the broad line regions on either side. Figure taken from https://www.sdss.org/dr19/bhm/about/
July 11, 2025 at 10:03 AM
sdssurveys.bsky.social
@blackholemapper.bsky.social had already released a few spectra in DR18, but they are going all out for DR19, with lots of galaxy and quasar spectra #DR19
This image shows the location of Black Hole Mapper targets on the sky, with each purple point depicting an object. All fields are in the North taken with the Sloan Telescope at Apache Point Observatory in New Mexico, US. Fields in the South by the du Pont Telescope at Las Campanas Observatory will be part of the next data release, DR20. There is a pink blob around right ascension = 9 hours, which are the eFEDS fields (eROSITA Full Equatorial Depth Survey) released in DR18. Figure taken from https://www.sdss.org/dr19/bhm/
July 11, 2025 at 10:02 AM
sdssurveys.bsky.social
DR19 is the first big data release for SDSS-V, and the first time @milkywaymapper.bsky.social is featured: this mapper loves stars because stars are cool (or hot), but also because they can tell us how the Milky Way formed www.sdss.org/dr19/mwm/abo... #DR19
This image has in the background an artist impression of the Milky Way, face on, featuring its spiral arms. On top with contours we have the number density of target stars for Milky Way Mapper's Galactic Genesis program. The target density is higher closer to the Sun's location, and towards the Galactic Bulge. Image taken from https://www.sdss.org/dr19/mwm/programs/gg/, with image credit to Jon Bird for the target density contours, and Robert Hurt/NASA for the Milky Way image.
July 11, 2025 at 9:42 AM
sdssurveys.bsky.social
Yesterday we released our nineteenth data release into the wild: www.sdss.org/dr19, let’s now take a closer look on what is in this data release. #DR19
The figure is the banner from the SDSS website www.sdss.org. In the middle it has an image of the Milky Way, showing the bulge, disc and dust lanes. On the left we see an stylised version of the Hertzsprung Russel diagram, while on the right the image transforms into the cosmic web. This image showcases the range of science covered by the three mapper programs in SDSS-V.
July 11, 2025 at 9:35 AM
sdssurveys.bsky.social
How do astronomers decide that objects to observe? You and your students can now map the cosmos with our new card game.

We've distributed copies of to several SDSS institutions and anyone can download and print their own copy from the link below

voyages.sdss.org/hands-on-act...
Decks of cards marked Event, Time and Science Goal. Some of the cards lie face up. A scoresheet lies next to the cards.
June 6, 2025 at 12:14 PM
sdssurveys.bsky.social
Happy Valentine's Day to everyone who loves stars and sees nothing but 💗 in their CMDs, HRDs, MHDs, PhDs, etc.
February 15, 2025 at 1:00 AM
sdssurveys.bsky.social
The return-on-investment for the SDSS surveys is truly extraordinary.

It is mid-scale, it is efficient, it is open, it is reasonable, it is diverse, it is inclusive.

All of the data is returned to all of humanity for the benefit all of humanity.

Join us!
February 12, 2025 at 6:23 PM
sdssurveys.bsky.social
Say hi, everyone! 🔭
People have stopped typing, and are now waving. Except Conor.
December 10, 2024 at 6:30 PM
sdssurveys.bsky.social
#DocuOrca is still going strong, though this is the last day 🔭
A selfie with many people typing furiously in the background.
December 10, 2024 at 6:28 PM
sdssurveys.bsky.social
We had a wonderful time had on the boat watching whales and sea lions. A lovely break from documenting Data Release #19 for those who went (& thx to those who continued to document 📜)

p.s. the Orca has now been named Stroopwafel, in honor of the pod we saw that was led by Flapjack

🔭
A group of very happy people sitting on the inside of a boat. There are a lot of mugs and bottles in front. One of the women is holding a crotched orca mascot.
December 8, 2024 at 2:23 AM
sdssurveys.bsky.social
Here is José looking happy and relieved that he doesn’t have to wear an Orca onesie as he promised to do if we didn’t see any orcas
José wearing a bright blue windbreaker and a Patagonia baseball cap is sitting and smiling on a seat in the boat
December 7, 2024 at 10:02 PM
sdssurveys.bsky.social
ORCAS

Which we documented
December 7, 2024 at 10:00 PM
sdssurveys.bsky.social
And we brought the mascot that @amweijmans.bsky.social made!
Anne-Marie holding a beautiful crochted orca in front of a window in the whale watching boat
December 7, 2024 at 7:26 PM
sdssurveys.bsky.social
#DocuOrca is going whale watching
A catamaran that will take us whale watching
December 7, 2024 at 7:26 PM
sdssurveys.bsky.social
Composite photo of many of the folks doing #DocuOrca this week for Data Release 19. 🔭

Bsky'ers include @johndonor3.bsky.social @smorrison.bsky.social @amweijmans.bsky.social @thejunaverse.bsky.social @jajohnson.bsky.social working for @blackholemapper.bsky.social and @milkywaymapper.bsky.social
A group photo in front of the WRF Data Science Studio sign + a screen grab from a Zoom session. Everyone looks remarkably happy. The women on the far left is holding a crocheted orca that tried to escape this morning but was found (phew!)
December 6, 2024 at 11:44 PM
sdssurveys.bsky.social
Mount Ranier looking lovely today presiding over DocuOrca. Have paused documenting about radial velocities to document this 🔭
A view of Mt Ranier looming over Seattle from the window of the conference room where we are documenting
December 6, 2024 at 6:59 PM
sdssurveys.bsky.social
Orca attack!

Orca courtesy of @amweijmans.bsky.social
Anne-Marie Weijmans, wearing a dress with pterodactyls on it, is holding her orca with its head pointed right at the viewer
December 5, 2024 at 4:46 PM
sdssurveys.bsky.social
Update on Day 3 of our Data Release 19 documentation festival #DocuOrca in Seattle

Number of orcas seen: 1 (knitted, incomplete)

🔭
Anne-Marie Weijmans holding a knitted orca in progress. The body is complete and stuffed, all it is missing are the fins
December 5, 2024 at 4:46 PM
sdssurveys.bsky.social
AND THEN the plate was used as a sled!
8/10 -- a little stiff over the bumps

🔭
December 4, 2024 at 6:30 PM
sdssurveys.bsky.social
🚨🚨🚨🚨

A new use for SDSS plates has been found!
UWash crew closing Manastash Ridge Observatory for the winter got stuck in the snow & used an SDSS plate to carry vital equipment. 🔭
An enthusiastic undergraduate (Bruce Ritter) holding a large aluminum plate with holes in it, standing in the snow.
December 4, 2024 at 6:27 PM
sdssurveys.bsky.social
Note that some people cannot be torn away from their documenting to witness this sight 🔭
A group of determined scientists discussing data visualization with an amazing undergraduate intern in Australia
December 4, 2024 at 12:01 AM
sdssurveys.bsky.social
We can see Mt Rainer from our tower room. In Seattle in December! #DocuOrca
Mt Ranier, its west side bathed in rosy glow, is seen in the distance over a view of Seattle
December 3, 2024 at 11:58 PM