Galactic Dust Reddening and Extinction Service

Gives the foreground (Milky Way) reddening for a line of sight, returning a reddening map, the corresponding 100 micron intensity, dust temperature, statistics, and Galactic extinctions using two methods.


All-sky view of the IRAS 100 micron imaging data, representing a MONTAGE-generated combination of the individual images created by Schlegel, Finkbeiner & Davis (1998). The Galactic Aitoff projection is shown in false color (blue is low intensity, red/white is high intensity).

Background

D.J. Schlegel, D.P. Finkbeiner, & M. Davis (1998, ApJ, 500, 525) combined the strengths of IRAS and COBE/DIRBE to create a relatively high resolution (~few arc-minute) 100-micron intensity map of the sky that is free of striping and accurately recalibrated to the absolute photometry of COBE/DIRBE. The maps can be used, in conjunction with a spectral template for the background, to derive the dust temperature & opacity, and hence, extinction, along the line of sight (assuming a standard extinction law). These Schlegel et al. maps have proven to be a popular product for astronomers, though users of this service should read the cautionary Notes below.

NEW (July 2013): Schlafly and Finkbeiner (2011, ApJ 737, 103) provide new estimates of Galactic dust extinction from an analysis of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Their re-calibration is presented here alongside the Schlegel et al. results, though values rely on the Schlegel et al. E(B-V) maps as a starting point.

Technical Summary

The Technical Summary from the Schlegel et al web site is repeated here:

Cautionary Notes

Links

References


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