Photometric system

In astronomy, a photometric system is a set of well-defined passbands (or optical filters), with a known sensitivity to incident radiation. The sensitivity usually depends on the optical system, detectors and filters used. For each photometric system a set of primary standard stars is provided.

A commonly adopted standardized photometric system is the Johnson-Morgan or UBV photometric system (1953). At present, there are more than 200 photometric systems.^[1]

Photometric systems are usually characterized according to the widths of their passbands:

broadband (passbands wider than 30 nm, of which the most widely used is Johnson-Morgan UBV system)
intermediate band (passbands between 10 and 30 nm wide)
narrow band (passbands less than 10 nm wide)

Photometric letters

Each letter designates a section of light of the electromagnetic spectrum; these cover well the consecutive major groups, near-ultraviolet (NUV), visible light (centered on the V band), near-infrared (NIR) and part of mid-infrared (MIR).^[a] The letters are not standards, but are recognized by common agreement among astronomers and astrophysicists.

The use of U,B,V,R,I bands dates from the 1950s, being single-letter abbreviations.^[b]

With the advent of infrared detectors in the next decade, the J to N bands were labelled following on from near-infrared's closest-to-red band, I.

Later the H band was inserted, then Z in the 1990s and finally Y, without changing earlier definitions. Hence, H is out of alphabetical order from its neighbours, while Z,Y are reversed from the alphabetical – higher-wavelength – sub-series which dominates current photometric bands.

Filter Letter	Effective Wavelength Midpoint λ_eff for Standard Filter^[3]	Full width at half maximum^[3] ^[c] (archetypal Bandwidth) (Δλ)^[d]	Variant(s)	Description
Ultraviolet
U	365 nm	66 nm	u, u', u*	"U" stands for ultraviolet.
Visible
B	445 nm	94 nm	b	"B" stands for blue.
G^[4]	464 nm	128 nm	g, g'	"G" stands for green.
V	551 nm	88 nm	v, v'	"V" stands for visual.
R	658 nm	138 nm	r, r', R', R_c, R_e, R_j	"R" stands for red.
Near-Infrared
I	806 nm	149 nm	i, i', I_c, I_e, I_j	"I" stands for infrared.
z-s'	893.2 nm	100 nm	z-s'
Z	900 nm^[5]	152 nm	z, z'
Y	1020 nm	120 nm	y
J	1220 nm	213 nm	J', J_s
H	1630 nm	307 nm
K	2190 nm	390 nm	K Continuum, K', K_s, K_long, K⁸, nbK
L	3450 nm	472 nm	L', nbL'
Mid-Infrared
M	4750 nm	460 nm	M', nbM
N	10500 nm	2500 nm
Q	21000 nm^[6]	5800 nm^[6]	Q'

Note: colors are only approximate and based on wavelength to sRGB representation (when possible).^[7]

Combinations of these letters are frequently used; for example the combination JHK has been used more or less as a synonym of "near-infrared", and appears in the title of many papers.^[8]

Filters used

The filters currently being used by other telescopes or organizations.

Units of measurements:

Å = Ångström
nm = nanometre
μm = micrometre

Name	Filters									Link
2.2 m telescope at La Silla, ESO	J = 1.24 μm	H = 1.63 μm	K = 2.19 μm	L' = 3.78 μm	M = 4.66 μm	N₁ = 8.36 μm	N₂ = 9.67 μm	N₃ = 12.89 μm		2.2 m telescope at La Silla, ESO^[9]
2MASS/PAIRITEL	J = 1.25 μm	H = 1.65 μm	K_s = 2.15 μm							Two Micron All-Sky Survey, Peters Automated InfraRed Imaging TELescope
CFHTLS (Megacam)	u^* = 374 nm	g' = 487 nm	r' = 625 nm	i' = 770 nm	z' = 890 nm					Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope
Chandra X-ray Observatory	LETG = 0.08-0.2 keV	HETG = 0.4-10 keV								Chandra X-ray Observatory
CTIO	J = 1.20 μm	H = 1.60 μm	K = 2.20 μm	L = 3.50 μm						Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, a division of NOAO
Cousins RI photometry	R_c = 647 nm	I_c = 786.5 nm								Cousins RI photometry, 1976^[10]
the Dark Energy Camera	g = 472.0 nm	r = 641.5 nm	i = 783.5 nm	z = 926.0 nm	Y = 1009.5 nm					Central wavelengths for bands in the Dark Energy Survey^[11]
DENIS	I = 0.79 μm	J = 1.24 μm	K = 2.16 μm							Deep Near Infrared Survey
Eggen RI photometry	R_e = 635 nm	I_e = 790 nm								Eggen RI photometry, 1965^[12]
FIS	N60 = 65.00 μm	WIDE-S = 90.00 μm	WIDE-L = 145.00 μm	N160 = 160.00 μm						Far-Infrared Surveyor on board, AKARI space telescope
Gaia	G = 673 nm	G_BP = 532 nm	G_RP = 797 nm	G_RVS = 860 nm						Gaia (spacecraft)^[13]
GALEX^[14]	NUV = 175–280 nm	FUV = 135–175 nm								GALaxy Evolution Explorer
GOODS (Hubble ACS)	B = 435 nm	V = 606 nm	i = 775 nm	z = 850 nm						Advanced Camera for Surveys on the Hubble Space Telescope
HAWC+	Band 1 = 53 μm	Band 2 = 89 μm	Band 3 = 154 μm	Band 4 = 214 μm						High-resolution Airborne Wideband Camera+ for SOFIA^[15]
HDF	450 nm	606 nm	814 nm							Hubble Deep Field from the Hubble Space Telescope
IRTF NSFCAM	J = 1.26 μm	H = 1.62 μm	K' = 2.12 μm	K_s = 2.15 μm	K = 2.21 μm	L = 3.50 μm	L' = 3.78 μm	M' = 4.78 μm	M = 4.85 μm	NASA Infrared Telescope Facility NSFCAM^[16]
ISAAC UTI/VLT^[17]	J_s = 1.2 μm	H = 1.6 μm	K_s = 2.2 μm	L = 3.78 μm	Brα = 4.07 μm					Infrared Spectrometer And Array Camera at Very Large Telescope
Johnson system (UBV)	U = 364 nm	B = 442 nm	V = 540 nm							UBV photometric system
Vera C. Rubin Observatory (LSST)^[18]	u = 320.5–393.5 nm	g = 401.5–551.9 nm	r = 552.0–691.0 nm	i = 691.0–818.0 nm	z = 818.0–923.5 nm	y = 923.8–1084.5 nm				Vera C. Rubin Observatory
OMC	Johnson V-filter = 500-580 nm									Optical Monitor Camera^[19] on INTEGRAL
Pan-STARRS	g = 481 nm	r = 617 nm	i = 752 nm	z = 866 nm	y = 962 nm					Panoramic Survey Telescope And Rapid Response System^[20]
ProNaOS/SPM	Band 1 = 180-240 μm	Band 2 = 240-340 μm	Band 3 = 340-540 μm	Band 4 = 540-1200 μm						PROgramme NAtional d'Observations Submillerètrique/Systéme Photométrique Multibande, balloon-borne experiment^[21]
Sloan, SDSS	u' = 354 nm	g' = 475 nm	r' = 622 nm	i' = 763 nm	z' = 905 nm					Sloan Digital Sky Survey
SPIRIT III	Band B1 = 4.29 μm	Band B2 = 4.35 μm	Band A = 8.28 μm	Band C = 12.13 μm	Band D = 14.65 μm	Band E = 21.34 μm				Infrared camera on Midcourse Space Experiment^[22]
Spitzer IRAC	ch1 = 3.6 μm	ch2 = 4.5 μm	ch3 = 5.8 μm	ch4 = 8.0 μm						Infrared Array Camera on Spitzer Space Telescope
Spitzer MIPS	24 μm	70 μm	160 μm							Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer on Spitzer
Stromvil filters	U = 345 nm	P = 374 nm	S = 405 nm	Y = 466 nm	Z = 516 nm	V = 544 nm	S = 656 nm			Stromvil photometry
Strömgren filters	u = 350 nm	v = 411 nm	b = 467 nm	y = 547 nm	β narrow = 485.8 nm	β wide = 485 nm				Strömgren photometric system
UKIDSS (WFCAM)	Z = 882 nm	Y = 1031 nm	J = 1248 nm	H = 1631 nm	K = 2201 nm					UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey
Vilnius photometric system	U = 345 nm	P = 374 nm	S = 405 nm	Y = 466 nm	Z = 516 nm	V = 544 nm	S = 656 nm			Vilnius photometric system
VISTA IRC	Z = 0.88 μm	Y = 1.02 μm	J = 1.25 μm	H = 1.65 μm	K_s = 2.20 μm	NB1.18 = 1.18 μm				Visible & Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy
WISE	W1 = 3.4 μm	W2 = 4.6 μm	W3 = 12 μm	W4 = 22 μm						Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer
XMM-Newton OM	UVW2 = 212 nm	UVM2 = 231 nm	UVW1 = 291 nm	U = 344 nm	B = 450 nm	V = 543 nm				XMM-Newton Optical/UV Monitor^[23]
XEST Survey	UVW2 = 212 nm	UVM2 = 231 nm	UVW1 = 291 nm	U = 344 nm	B = 450 nm	V = 543 nm	J = 1.25 μm	H = 1.65 μm	K_s = 2.15 μm	Survey includes the point source of 2MASS with XMM-Newton OM^[24]

Note: colors are only approximate and based on wavelength to sRGB representation (when possible).^[25]

References and footnotes

^ Bessell, M. S. (2005). "STANDARD PHOTOMETRIC SYSTEMS" (PDF). Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics. 43: 293–336. doi:10.1146/annurev.astro.41.082801.100251.
^ Spectral Colors
^ ^a ^b Binney, J.; Merrifield M. Galactic Astronomy, Princeton University Press, 1998, ch. 2.3.2, pp. 53
^ Bessell, Michael S. (September 2005). "Standard Photometric Systems" (PDF). Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics. 43 (1): 293–336. Bibcode:2005ARA&A..43..293B. doi:10.1146/annurev.astro.41.082801.100251. ISSN 0066-4146.
^ Gouda, N.; Yano, T.; Kobayashi, Y.; Yamada, Y.; et al. (23 May 2005). "JASMINE: Japan Astrometry Satellite Mission for INfrared Exploration". Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union. 2004 (IAUC196): 455–468. Bibcode:2005tvnv.conf..455G. doi:10.1017/S1743921305001614. S2CID 123261288. z-band: 0.9 μm
^ ^a ^b [1] Handbook of Geophysics and the Space Environment 1985, Air Force Geophysics Laboratory, 1985, ed. Adolph S. Jursa, Ch. 25, Table 25-1
^ "Light wavelength to RGB Converter". www.johndcook.com. Retrieved 2023-07-28.
^ Monson, Andrew J.; Pierce, Michael J. (2011). "Near-Infrared (Jhk) Photometry of 131 Northern Galactic Classical Cepheids". The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. 193 (1): 12. Bibcode:2011ApJS..193...12M. doi:10.1088/0067-0049/193/1/12. Example of use of J for "near-infrared"
^ A study of the Chamaeleon I dark cloud and T-association. II – High-resolution IRAS maps around HD 97048 and 97300, Assendorp, R.; Wesselius, P. R.; Prusti, T.; Whittet, D. C. B., 1990
^ ADPS
^ DES
^ ADPS
^ Jordi, C.; Gebran, M.; Carrasco, J. M.; de Bruijne, J.; Voss, H.; Fabricius, C.; Knude, J.; Vallenari, A.; Kohley, R.; Mora, A. (2010). "Gaia broad band photometry". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 523: A48. arXiv:1008.0815. Bibcode:2010A&A...523A..48J. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201015441. S2CID 34033669.
^ "GALEX Instrument Summary". Goddard Space Flight Center. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
^ "HAWC". Archived from the original on 2008-03-13. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
^ NSFCAM
^ "ISAAC Overview". Paranal Instrumentation. ESO. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
^ LSST filter characteristics taken from https://github.com/lsst/throughputs/blob/master/baseline/ (see the filter_X.dat files) with the limits at half the peak transmission.
^ About INTEGRAL
^ Tonry, J. L.; Stubbs, C. W.; Lykke, K. R.; Doherty, P.; Shivvers, I. S.; Burgett, W. S.; Chambers, K. C.; Hodapp, K. W.; Kaiser, N.; Kudritzki, R.-P.; Magnier, E. A.; Morgan, J. S.; Price, P. A.; Wainscoat, R. J. (2012). "THE Pan-STARRS1 PHOTOMETRIC SYSTEM". The Astrophysical Journal. 750 (2): 99. arXiv:1203.0297. Bibcode:2012ApJ...750...99T. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/750/2/99. S2CID 119266289.
^ Pajot, F.; Stepnik, B.; Lamarre, J.-M.; Bernard, J.-P.; Dupac, X.; Giard, M.; Lagache, G.; Leriche, B.; Meny, C.; Recouvreur, G.; Renault, J.-C.; Rioux, C.; Ristorcelli, I.; Serra, G.; Torre, J.-P. (2006). "Calibration of the PRONAOS/SPM submillimeter photometer" (PDF). Astronomy & Astrophysics. 447 (2): 769–781. Bibcode:2006A&A...447..769P. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20034226. S2CID 4822401.
^ MSXPSC – Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX) Point Source Catalog, V2.3
^ XMM-Newton User's Handbook Sect. 3.5.3.1
^ Audard, M.; Briggs, K. R.; Grosso, N.; Güdel, M.; Scelsi, L.; Bouvier, J.; Telleschi, A. (2007). "The XMM-Newton Optical Monitor survey of the Taurus molecular cloud". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 468 (2): 379–390. arXiv:astro-ph/0611367. Bibcode:2007A&A...468..379A. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20066320. S2CID 59479808.
^ "Light wavelength to RGB Converter". www.johndcook.com. Retrieved 2023-07-28.

^ Indigo and cyan are not standard colors.^[2] Orange, yellow, and green fall under visual bands, while violet and purple are in every blue band.
^ See Description column of the chart
^ The width of the band of the curve's 50% upper values (that is, peak) for a natural curve of paradigm source of this light
^ Delta lambda

External links

Johnson, H. L.; Morgan, W. W. (1953), Fundamental stellar photometry for standards of spectral type on the revised system of the Yerkes spectral atlas, The Astrophysical Journal, vol. 117, pp. 313–352 [2]
The Asiago Database on Photometric Systems
Michael S. Bessell (2005), STANDARD PHOTOMETRIC SYSTEMS, Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics vol. 43, pp. 293–336
Infrared portrait of the nearby massive star-forming region IRAS 09002-4732, Apai, D.; Linz, H.; Henning, Th.; Stecklum, B., 2005

[1] Bessell, M. S. (2005). "STANDARD PHOTOMETRIC SYSTEMS" (PDF). Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics. 43: 293–336. doi:10.1146/annurev.astro.41.082801.100251.

[2] Spectral Colors

[JamesBinney-5] Binney, J.; Merrifield M. Galactic Astronomy, Princeton University Press, 1998, ch. 2.3.2, pp. 53

[Bessell2005-8] Bessell, Michael S. (September 2005). "Standard Photometric Systems" (PDF). Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics. 43 (1): 293–336. Bibcode:2005ARA&A..43..293B. doi:10.1146/annurev.astro.41.082801.100251. ISSN 0066-4146.

[9] Gouda, N.; Yano, T.; Kobayashi, Y.; Yamada, Y.; et al. (23 May 2005). "JASMINE: Japan Astrometry Satellite Mission for INfrared Exploration". Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union. 2004 (IAUC196): 455–468. Bibcode:2005tvnv.conf..455G. doi:10.1017/S1743921305001614. S2CID 123261288. z-band: 0.9 μm

[Jursa-10] [1] Handbook of Geophysics and the Space Environment 1985, Air Force Geophysics Laboratory, 1985, ed. Adolph S. Jursa, Ch. 25, Table 25-1

[11] "Light wavelength to RGB Converter". www.johndcook.com. Retrieved 2023-07-28.

[12] Monson, Andrew J.; Pierce, Michael J. (2011). "Near-Infrared (Jhk) Photometry of 131 Northern Galactic Classical Cepheids". The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. 193 (1): 12. Bibcode:2011ApJS..193...12M. doi:10.1088/0067-0049/193/1/12. Example of use of J for "near-infrared"

[13] A study of the Chamaeleon I dark cloud and T-association. II – High-resolution IRAS maps around HD 97048 and 97300, Assendorp, R.; Wesselius, P. R.; Prusti, T.; Whittet, D. C. B., 1990

[14] ADPS

[15] DES

[16] ADPS

[gaia-17] Jordi, C.; Gebran, M.; Carrasco, J. M.; de Bruijne, J.; Voss, H.; Fabricius, C.; Knude, J.; Vallenari, A.; Kohley, R.; Mora, A. (2010). "Gaia broad band photometry". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 523: A48. arXiv:1008.0815. Bibcode:2010A&A...523A..48J. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201015441. S2CID 34033669.

[18] "GALEX Instrument Summary". Goddard Space Flight Center. Retrieved 5 June 2019.

[19] "HAWC". Archived from the original on 2008-03-13. Retrieved 2008-05-25.

[20] NSFCAM

[21] "ISAAC Overview". Paranal Instrumentation. ESO. Retrieved 13 October 2011.

[22] LSST filter characteristics taken from https://github.com/lsst/throughputs/blob/master/baseline/ (see the filter_X.dat files) with the limits at half the peak transmission.

[23] About INTEGRAL

[24] Tonry, J. L.; Stubbs, C. W.; Lykke, K. R.; Doherty, P.; Shivvers, I. S.; Burgett, W. S.; Chambers, K. C.; Hodapp, K. W.; Kaiser, N.; Kudritzki, R.-P.; Magnier, E. A.; Morgan, J. S.; Price, P. A.; Wainscoat, R. J. (2012). "THE Pan-STARRS1 PHOTOMETRIC SYSTEM". The Astrophysical Journal. 750 (2): 99. arXiv:1203.0297. Bibcode:2012ApJ...750...99T. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/750/2/99. S2CID 119266289.

[25] Pajot, F.; Stepnik, B.; Lamarre, J.-M.; Bernard, J.-P.; Dupac, X.; Giard, M.; Lagache, G.; Leriche, B.; Meny, C.; Recouvreur, G.; Renault, J.-C.; Rioux, C.; Ristorcelli, I.; Serra, G.; Torre, J.-P. (2006). "Calibration of the PRONAOS/SPM submillimeter photometer" (PDF). Astronomy & Astrophysics. 447 (2): 769–781. Bibcode:2006A&A...447..769P. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20034226. S2CID 4822401.

[26] MSXPSC – Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX) Point Source Catalog, V2.3

[27] XMM-Newton User's Handbook Sect. 3.5.3.1

[28] Audard, M.; Briggs, K. R.; Grosso, N.; Güdel, M.; Scelsi, L.; Bouvier, J.; Telleschi, A. (2007). "The XMM-Newton Optical Monitor survey of the Taurus molecular cloud". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 468 (2): 379–390. arXiv:astro-ph/0611367. Bibcode:2007A&A...468..379A. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20066320. S2CID 59479808.

[29] "Light wavelength to RGB Converter". www.johndcook.com. Retrieved 2023-07-28.

[3] Indigo and cyan are not standard colors.^[2] Orange, yellow, and green fall under visual bands, while violet and purple are in every blue band.

[4] See Description column of the chart

[6] The width of the band of the curve's 50% upper values (that is, peak) for a natural curve of paradigm source of this light

[7] Delta lambda

[1]

[a]

[b]

[3]

[c]

[d]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[2]

Photometric system

Photometric letters

Filters used

See also

References and footnotes

External links

Portal di Ensiklopedia Dunia