Brief Table of Contents (Section Titles only)
Complete Table of Contents
Table of Contents for all 2MASS webpages
Update Log for 2MASS Facts
This document gives the key 2MASS Facts as they become available, with references to more complete write-ups when available. This document is far from the level of an Explanatory Supplement. It is intended as a working document for the benefit of the 2MASS Team, and in many cases requires knowledge not found in this document in order to make sense of the information presented herein.
An attempt is made to distinguish whether the source of the information is from the actual 2MASS Camera and Telescope or from the prototype camera on the KPNO 50" telescope. If the source is not identified, the reader should assume that the source is the prototype camera and KPNO telescope.
Also note that some of the information is outdated, irrelevant, or has been superseded by later information or a change in plans. This document will probably not be cleaned up until the first data release.
In a few places, topics in the Table of Contents are only placeholders waiting for the information to be supplied.
There is a lot of information that has not yet been incorporated into this document. Consult the comprehensive Table of Contents for all 2MASS webpages for further information, or use the Searchable Index to 2MASS Webpages. Rather than attempt to extract information from webpages, I am concentrating on adding information found only in email or from meetings.
If you reached this page through the [framed] IPAC or UMASS 2MASS Main webpage, and want to view this full-screen, paste the following address into the location field of your browser and hit return:
http://spider.ipac.caltech.edu/staff/tchester/2mass/facts/index.html
These 2MASS Facts have been obtained through the efforts of the 2MASS Team. Information has been stolen from any non-web document that could be found. In many cases, the information was taken from emails intended for a select audience or in response to a specific question which is no longer connected to the stolen portion presented here. Please take special care not to overinterpret what is presented here or to make sweeping conclusions from what may have been analysis of a small piece of early 2MASS data before the telescope was declared operational. The information on many topics in the Table of Contents is quite incomplete.
As a result of the mish-mash of information sources, there is no continuity of style, format, presentation, or anything else in this document. Don't expect for this document to be anything other than a collection of 2MASS facts which is incomplete.
We allow the public access to these pages for two reasons:
T. Chester is the compiler of this page. Please email him any comments, corrections, or suggested additions.
Brief Table of Contents (Section Titles only)
Complete Table of Contents
The section titles link you directly to the section, except for the overview and data products section. If you want to go directly to a given subsection, use the Complete Table of Contents.