Sesame

Note: the Sesame server was modified on 22 August 2010; a new schema (http://vizier.cds.unistra.fr/xml/sesame_4x.xsd) is used in the XML output. The output using the previous schemas (http://vizier.cds.unistra.fr/xml/sesame_2.xsd, and http://vizier.cds.unistra.fr/xml/sesame_4.xsd) is still possible with a dedicated option.

1 What is Sesame?

Sesame is a name resolver which returns, from a string representing the designation of an astronomical object outside the Solar System, the position of that object in the sky and a few other details. It operates by querying the following databases: WSimbad, NED , and VizHomePage.www.

Sesame can be accessed:

by a form, where a name of an astronomical source (or of a file containing names) can be submitted; the options are available as buttons and checkboxes.
by an HTTP-GET access to http://cds.unistra.fr/cgi-bin/nph-sesame[/-opt][/~SNVA]?object_name[&other_object_name]...
or at the mirror at
where opt are output options detailed below, and ~SNVA indicate the possible choices of databases as Simbad, NED, VizieR, All the quoted databases, and the ~ which indicates to ignore any cached results. Without the A, the result of the first positive answer is listed only.
This HTTP-GET access is available also as the sesame script included in the cdsclient package aimed at fast queries of the large survey from simple command-line interfaces well adapted to linux/unix scripts.
An HTTPS endpoint is also available at
https://cds.unistra.fr/cgi-bin/nph-sesame[/-opt][/~SNVA]?object_name[&other_object_name]...

2 Output Options

The HTTP-GET protocol accepts the following output options:

-ox: output in XML (W3C-compliant XML, includes a working URI to an XML Schema description of the output at http://vizier.cds.unistra.fr/xml/sesame_4x.xsd); with the -ox4 option, the output conforms to the old XML schema (http://vizier.cds.unistra.fr/xml/sesame_4.xsd), and with the -ox2 option, the output conforms to the even older XML schema (http://vizier.cds.unistra.fr/xml/sesame_2.xsd). The result is of text/xml mime-type; use -oxp for an XML output in text/plain mime-type.
-oI: output all Identifiers for the objects retrieved; by default, only the main designation of the object (in the queried database) is returned.
-oF: output fluxes (magnitudes) for the objects retrieved; this option works only for WSimbad results.

The options may be combined, e.g. -oxpI asks for all identifiers in text/plain XML format.

3 Output Examples

http://cds.unistra.fr/cgi-bin/nph-sesame/-oxp/NSV?NGC+4321 returns the following:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Sesame xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
 xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="http://vizier.cds.unistra.fr/xml/sesame_4x.xsd">
<Target option="NSV">
  <name>NGC 4321</name>
  <!-- Q016929 #1 -->
  <Resolver name="N=NED">
    <otype>G</otype>
    <jpos>12:22:54.89 +15:49:20.6</jpos>
    <jradeg>185.72875</jradeg>
    <jdedeg>+15.8223889</jdedeg>
    <refPos>20032MASX.C.......:</refPos>
    <errRAmas>1250</errRAmas><errDEmas>1250</errDEmas>
    <Vel><v>1570.91270</v><e>0.89938</e><r>1995AJ....109.2444R</r></Vel>
    <MType>SAB(s)bc;LINER</MType>
    <oname>MESSIER 100 </oname>
    <nrefs>961</nrefs>
  </Resolver>
</Target>
</Sesame>

where the results comes from NED (database option /NSV queries first NED, the Simbad, then VizieR). The elements are the type of object <otype>, the main name <oname> and eventually other designations <alias>; the J2000 position is given as a string <jpos> and its two components <jradeg> and <jdedeg>, and contains also the errors in mas <errRAmas> and <errDEmas>, and the origin of the position in <erefPos>. The velocity is a structured text within a <Vel> tag, composed of the value (<v>), its error (<e>), quality (<q>) where A is the best, and its reference (<r>).

http://cds.unistra.fr/cgi-bin/nph-sesame/-oxp2/NSV?NGC+4321 (with the older schema, notice the 2 in the options) the result is:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <Sesame xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="http://vizier.cds.unistra.fr/xml/sesame_2.xsd"> <target>NGC 4321</target> <Resolver name="N=NED"> <INFO>from cache</INFO> <otype>G</otype> <jpos>12:22:54.89 +15:49:20.6</jpos> <jradeg>185.72875</jradeg> <jdedeg>+15.8223889</jdedeg> <refPos>20032MASX.C.......:</refPos> <errRAmas>1250</errRAmas><errDEmas>1250</errDEmas> <Vel>1570.91270</Vel><errVel>0.89938</errVel><refVel>1995AJ....109.2444R</refVel> <MType>SAB(s)bc;LINER</MType> <oname>MESSIER 100 </oname> <nrefs>961</nrefs> </Resolver> </Sesame>

http://cds.unistra.fr/cgi-bin/nph-sesame/-oI?HIP123 returns the following:

# HIP123        #Q000008
#=S=Simbad (CDS, via client/server):    1
%C.0 *  
%J 0.39988458 +72.23661528 (8) = 00 01 35.972  +72 14 11.82 
%J.E [5.41 4.19 121] A 1997A&A...323L..49P
%P -44.73 3.74 [0.61 0.48 125] A 1997A&A...323L..49P
%V v -13.32 B [0.22] 2005A&A...430..165F
%X 5.07 [0.70] A 1997A&A...323L..49P
%S K0 D ~                   =0168.00000.000000000
%M.B 8.391 [~]  D ~                  
%M.V 7.217 [~]  D ~                  
%M.J 5.224 [0.020]  C 2003yCat.2246....0C
%M.H 4.789 [0.034]  C 2003yCat.2246....0C
%M.K 4.613 [0.057]  C 2003yCat.2246....0C
%I.0 HD 224891
%@ @239810
%I HD 224891
%I AG+71 733
%I AGKR 21483
%I BD+71 1246
%I GC 33319
%I GSC 04302-01842
%I HIC 123
%I HIP 123
%I 2MASS J00013599+7214118
%I PPM 4263
%I SAO 10933
%I SKY# 40
%I TYC 4302-1842-1
%I [SSS95] 1
#B 6

In this format, the line starting by #= indicates the resolver used; %C indicates the object type, %J the J2000 position, %J.E the precision and source of the position as en error ellipse. The proper motion is introduced by %P with its error ellipse, quality and reference.

http://cds.unistra.fr/cgi-bin/nph-sesame/-oIfx?HIP123 asks for all identifiers (I), fluxes (f) in xml (x):

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Sesame xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
 xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="http://vizier.cds.unistra.fr/xml/sesame_4x.xsd">
<Target>
  <name>HIP123</name>
  <!-- Q000009 #1 -->
  <Resolver name="S=Simbad (CDS, via client/server)">
    <INFO>from cache</INFO>
    <otype>*</otype>
    <jpos>00:01:35.97 +72:14:11.8</jpos>
    <jradeg>0.39988458</jradeg>
    <jdedeg>72.23661528</jdedeg>
    <refPos>1997A&amp;A...323L..49P</refPos>
    <errRAmas>5.11</errRAmas><errDEmas>4.55</errDEmas>
    <pm>
      <v>44.89</v><e>0.78</e><q>A</q><r>1997A&amp;A...323L..49P</r>
      <pa>275</pa>
      <pmRA>-44.73</pmRA><epmRA>0.57</epmRA>
      <pmDE>3.74</pmDE><epmDE>0.53</epmDE>
    </pm>
    <Vel><v>-13.32</v><e>0.22</e><q>B</q><r>2005A&amp;A...430..165F</r></Vel>
    <plx><v>5.07</v><e>0.70</e><q>A</q><r>1997A&amp;A...323L..49P</r></plx>
    <spType>K0</spType><spNum>0168.00000.000000000</spNum>
    <mag band="B"><v>8.391</v><q>D</q></mag>
    <mag band="V"><v>7.217</v><q>D</q></mag>
    <mag band="J"><v>5.224</v><e>0.020</e><q>C</q><r>2003yCat.2246....0C</r></mag>
    <mag band="H"><v>4.789</v><e>0.034</e><q>C</q><r>2003yCat.2246....0C</r></mag>
    <mag band="K"><v>4.613</v><e>0.057</e><q>C</q><r>2003yCat.2246....0C</r></mag>
    <oname>HD 224891</oname>
    <oid>@239810</oid>
    <alias>HD 224891</alias>
    <alias>AG+71 733</alias>
    <alias>AGKR 21483</alias>
    <alias>BD+71 1246</alias>
    <alias>GC 33319</alias>
    <alias>GSC 04302-01842</alias>
    <alias>HIC 123</alias>
    <alias>HIP 123</alias>
    <alias>2MASS J00013599+7214118</alias>
    <alias>PPM 4263</alias>
    <alias>SAO 10933</alias>
    <alias>SKY# 40</alias>
    <alias>TYC 4302-1842-1</alias>
    <alias>[SSS95] 1</alias>
    <nrefs>6</nrefs>
  </Resolver>
</Target>
</Sesame>

The results about the star HIP 123 are expressed in XML with the recent version of the XML schema. Several additional structured parameters (from WSimbad) are included:

the proper motion (<pm> tag) containing the proper motion value (<v> in mas/yr), error (<e>), quality (<q>), reference (<r>), and position angle (<pa> in degrees); the components of the proper motion along RA (<pmRA>) and Dec (<pmDE>) with their errors, expressed in mas/yr, are also returned;
the magnitudes include the <band> attribute specifying the wavelength range (one of UBVRIJHK or ugriz filters; the exact definition of the filters should however be checked in the reference), and the corresponding magnitude value (<v>), error (<e>), quality (<q>), and reference (<r>).