Why distribute your data through VizieR?

Distribute your data in a trusted repository in accordance with Open Data principles

  • Data preservation: The CDS has been awarded the Core Trust Seal.
  • Discovery: Take advantage of the VizieR services allowing for the discovery, and a good data visibility
    • Dedicated indexations
    • Quality and a good data description
    • Generate persistent identifier (bibcode, DOI) for citation
    • Data are available through the Virtual Observatory (VO) services
    • Data can be queried by various means (simple search, TAP, Python …) and retrieved in different format (ASCII, Fits, VOTable …)

FAIR principles for astronomical data

  • For tables containing known astronomical objects, an existing non-altered name must be given along with the coordinates.
    • Important point: Tables of astronomical objects without coordinates cannot be added into the SIMBAD database.
  • All columns must be explained with their corresponding unit.
  • Your columns should be homogeneous, and you should avoid mixing measurements with different meanings: errors mixed with limits, or values with different units (that should be in different columns). One same unit per column in a table.
  • When there is more than one table, the objects in common must be identified with the same name between tables.

Submission routes and journals

2 types of VizieR workflows:

  • Initiated by authors / editors
  • Initiated by the CDS

To face an increasing volume and according to the CDS mission, VizieR selects the articles to be processed.

  • Main journals origin : AAS (ApJ, ApJS, ApJL, AJ), A&A, MNRAS
  • Authors asking for VizieR publication
  • Scientific criteria such as the origin of the measurements (e.g. observations have a higher priority than models)
  • Effort required to make the data reusable (preferably MRT) is taken into account in the selection
  • Special case : A&A editors request authors to submit their data in CDS

Preparing your data

Data types accepted:

  • Tables (including at least a ReadMe file)
  • Associated data : images, spectra, SED, time series, cube

Preferred formats:

  • Tables should be preferably written as machine-readable tables (MRT).
  • For the associated data, the FITS format is the preferred solution.

Do not forget to test your FITS data before submission with the VizieR FITS validator tool.

Submitting astronomical data

2 options for data submission:

  • Online interface
  • File Transfer Protocol

The CDS provides tools to build ReadMe file and aligned ASCII tables (Machine Readable Table in FORTRAN format).

  • No need to build it from scratch!

The ReadMe file describe your tables by providing all necessary information to locate the catalogue (authors, title, abstract, keywords, acknowledgments, …).

  • This highly standardised file allows reusability and cross matching between catalogues.
  • A good description of your data is the key to discoverability.

Data curation at CDS

Once the catalogues are submitted, a delay is needed for VizieR curation and validation before full ingestion!

The validation process involves some:

  • Verifications leading to corrections: ~ 30% of the references
  • Main corrections: identifiers, coordinates, units …

You cannot Find, Access and Re-use data if the coordinates/identifiers are not right!

Journey of your data in the VO and EOSC

  • EOSC is not a new digital infrastructure.

  • EOSC will support the cultural change towards Open Science and FAIR principles in the European countries and institutions.

  • Individual researchers will benefits from EOSC through their existing channels (e.g. universities, research institutes, research infrastructures, associations, science clusters, etc.) that will act as intermediaries.

  • EOSC will allow for universal access to data and a new level playing field for European researchers.

  • EOSC Portal Catalogue & Marketplace acts as an entry point to a multitude of services and resources for researchers, such as:

    • Discover Research Outputs (datasets, scientific publications, softwares)
    • Access Training Materials (lessons, courses, videos)

  • The catalogues ingested in VizieR are findable and accessible in EOSC!

  • Interdisciplinary science is facilitated using EOSC Portal, thanks to the interoperability of the data.

  • EOSC promotes the reuse of the data.