Mapping extinction using GALEX and SDSS photometric observations

Abstract

The primary objective of this work is to create an all sky extinction map of the Milky Way galaxy. We have cross-matched the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS data release 8) photometric observations with that of Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX data release 6). This provides a wide range of wavelength coverage from Far Ultra-Violet through the optical spectrum and gives one unique SDSS source for every GALEX source. We discuss a sample of ∼32000 objects in the north galactic pole (≥75° latitude) from this combined database. The Castelli and Kurucz Atlas was fit to the photometric observations of each star, best fit being determined using a chi-square test. Best fit parameters provide the spectral type and extinction towards each of the objects. The shift in magnitude obtained during the best-fit can be used to determine the distance to each of the stars. With this data, a comprehensive extinction map can be made for the high-latitude objects and later extended to all-sky.