B, V, R, I, H and K Images of 86 Face-On Spiral Galaxies

Abstract

FITS images in the B, V, R, I, H and K passbands are presented of a sample of 86 face-on spiral galaxies. The galaxies were selected from the UGC to have a diameter of at least 2 arcmin and a minor over major axis ratio larger than 0.625. The selected galaxies have an absolute Galactic latitude |b|>25 degree, to minimize the effect of Galactic extinction and foreground stars. Nearly all BVRI data were obtained with the 1m Jacobus Kapteyn Telescope at La Palma and the H and K data were obtained at the 3.8m UK Infra-Red Telescope at Hawaii. The field of view of the telescope/camera combinations were often smaller than the observed galaxies, therefore driftscanning and mosaicing techniques were employed to image at least along the major axis of the galaxies. Most images were obtained during photometric nights and calibrated using standard stars. A small fraction of the images was calibrated from literature aperture photometry. The azimuthally averaged radial luminosity profiles derived from these galaxy images (see de Jong and van der Kruit 1994, Paper I) are also made available in machine readable format, as are the results of the bulge/disk decompositions described in de Jong (1996, Paper II). A detailed statistical analysis of the bulge and disk parameters of this data set can be found in de Jong (1996, Paper III). The dust and stellar content of the galaxies as derived from the color profiles is described in de Jong (1996, Paper IV). Evidence for secular evolution as found in this sample is shown in Courteau, de Jong and Broeils (1996).