SQL Query

This page is designed to allow users who are comfortable with SQL to issue commands (almost) directly to the MAPS Catalog database. See the parameters documentation for detailed notes on what database tables and parameters are available for query.

Quick Hints

• The table holding the plate header information is called plates, otherwise the data for each POSS field is held in a table named after the possnumber of the plate (e.g. - P001, P002, etc.).
• Note that all coordinates (e.g. - ra, decl, l, b) are stored in the database in (arc)seconds*1000 format. See the parameters documentation for details.

Some example SQL queries you can try to see the power of this interface:

SELECT * from plates WHERE bmin>(20*3600000)

Returns all the parameters from the plates table for POSS fields with a minimum Galactic latitude of greater than 20 degrees. The '*' in the SELECT portion of the statement means return all parameters

SELECT possfield,emul,seeing FROM photom ORDER BY seeing LIMIT 10

List the ten plates with the best seeing in the entire MAPS Catalog.

SELECT possfield,emul,seeing FROM photom ORDER BY seeing DESC LIMIT 10

List the ten plates with the worst seeing in the entire MAPS Catalog. This is done by using a 'DESC'ending order for the output.

SELECT possfield,emul,type,x1,y1,x2,y2,ra1_est,decl1_est,ra2_est,decl2_est FROM cuts WHERE possfield='P101' AND emul='O' AND type='box'

Show all the box cuts performed on the O plate of the P101 field cut from the MAPS Catalog. Notice that when matching a string, single quotes must be used around that string.

SQL Query:

SELECT * from plates WHERE bmin>(20*3600000);
Output as space-delimited text?