MSX Image Server and Catalog Overlays

Instructions

Interactive Mode

The main panel contains a field for source location information, a selectable set of image sizes, and a set of optional overlay selections. The location information can take the form of coordinates in a variety of formats (see the examples at the bottom of panel) or can be an object name. If it is the latter, first NED and then SIMBAD are checked to attempt name resolution.

The data panel that results from submission of the job contains a map of the region ( default is a 5 degree square piece of the appropriate MSX image overlayed with MSX Point Source Catalog data and an Equatorial J2000 coordinate grid) plus links to the FITS image and ASCII data tables from which the map was made. On the overlays, points are scaled by magnitude or flux as appropriate and are color coded to their source.

"API" Mode

The MSX service can also be driven directly through a URL:

https://irsa.ipac.caltech.edu/cgi-bin/MSX/nph-msx/

This default return is the same HTML page described above, though we plan to add an XML response in future. In this API mode, user-defined graphics can also be overlayed on the images.

The form variables available for use are as follows:
objstr The name of an object or a coordinate string. If it is an object name (e.g. "m 31") it will be resolved using NED and/or SIMBAD. If it is a coordinate string (e.g. "19h17m32s 11d58m02s Equ J2000") it can be any coordinate system (Eq, Ecl, Gal, SGal) and epoch and can be sexagesimal or decimal degrees.

This field is required.
size The width/height, in degrees, of the field of view (limited by the size and edges of an MSX plate).

Default: 5.0
band The MSX band(s) to be returned:

band = 0: 12 Micron
band = 1: 25 Micron
band = 2: 60 Micron
band = 3: 100 Micron
band = 4: ?? Micron (LMC only)
band = 5: ?? Micron (LMC only)
band = 6: all four/six bands

Default: 0
msxpsc Whether to search the MSX Point Source Catalog (msxpsc = 1) or not (msxpsc = 0).

Default: 1

Default: 0
coordinate_grid Whether to display an equatorial grid overlay (coordinate_grid = 1) or not (coordinate_grid = 0).

Default: 1
graphics This field is essentially a drawing script. It will allows for the following directives (one to a line or separated by semicolons):

color <name>
dcs <coord_sys: eq, ec, or gal>
move <coordinates>
draw <coordinates>
expand <factor: 1 for nominal symbols>
ptype <nsides> <type: 0-open; 1-skeletal; 2-starred> ptype <symbol: + o x>
dot

Color names are the standard red, green, blue, etc. Coordinates are specified (for now) in decimal degrees, J2000

Default: (no added graphics)
An example HTML form could look like this: 
<html>

<form method="GET" action="/cgi-bin/MSX/nph-msx">

<input type=hidden name="objstr" value="00h 42m 44.32s +41d 

      16m 08.5s Equ J2000 ">
<input type=hidden name="size"   value=5.0>
<input type=hidden name="band"   value=3>

<input type=hidden name="msxpsc"          value=0>
<input type=hidden name="coordinate_grid"  value=1>

<input type=hidden name=graphics
       value="
              color yellow
              dcs   eq J 2000
              move   9.085 40.069
              draw  12.285 40.069
              draw  12.285 42.469
              draw   9.085 42.469
              draw   9.085 40.069
              color  magenta
              move   10.68469 41.26904
              ptype  8 2
              expand 3
              dot
              move   10.67437 40.86439
              ptype  +
              expand 2
              dot"
>

<input type="submit" value="MSX Data for M16">

</form>
</html>

Alternatively, a complete URL could be constructed (e.g. by a program) and activated directly:

https://irsa.ipac.caltech.edu/cgi-bin/MSX/nph-msx?objstr=m16&size=5.0&band=6