The MDW H{\alpha} Sky Survey: Data Release 1

Abstract

The Mittelman-di Cicco-Walker (MDW) H$\alpha$ Sky Survey is an autonomously-operated all-sky narrow-band (3nm) H$\alpha$ imaging survey. The survey was founded by amateur astronomers and the northern sky (Decl. $\geq$ 0$^\circ$) is presented here in its second stage of refinement for academic use. Each 3.6$\times$3.6 sq. deg MDW field has 12 20-minute individual exposures with a pixel scale of 3.6", a typical PSF of 6", and a stack point source depth of 16-17 magnitudes. The northern MDW Survey Data Release 1 (DR1) includes: calibrated and raw mean and individual images, star-removed mean fields, and point source catalogs for all images matched to Data Release 1 of the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS1) and the INT Galactic Plane Survey (IGAPS). Our initial study of H$\alpha$ filament widths finds a typical FWHM of 30-45" in the Lyra region. The matched catalogs (with a median match distance of ~0.5"), combined with our distinctive narrow-band photometry, are used to identify H$\alpha$ variable and excess sources. These initial studies highlight some of the many scientific uses of the MDW H$\alpha$ survey.