SDSS | JINA-CEE, Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics - Center for the Evolution of the Elements

Understanding the origin of the elements, the astrophysical sites of their production, and providing constraints on the nuclear physics processes involved in their creation, are several of the fundamental goals of JINA. In order to further these ambitious undertakings, JINA has become an institutional partner in the extension of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, SDSS-II.

This effort, funded by the Sloan Foundation, the National Science Foundation, and contributions from participating institutions, assumed operation of the 2.5m telescope on Apache Point, New Mexico in July 2005, and completed in July 2008. SDSS-II consists of three projects: (1) LEGACY, which finishes spectroscopic observations of galaxies and quasars originally started during SDSS-I, (2) SNS, a new-generation survey for Type Ia supernovae, and (3) SEGUE: The Sloan Extension for Galactic Understanding and Exploration.

SDSS data have been released to the scientific community and the general public in annual increments, with the final public data release from SDSS-II occurring in October 2008. Meanwhile, SDSS is continuing with the Third Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-III), a program of four new surveys using SDSS facilities. SDSS-III will continue operating and releasing data through 2014.

For more details, visit the SDSS website.

SDSS-II -- Sloan Extension for Galactic Understanding and Exploration (SEGUE)
The Data Release Seven (DR7) is the third and final data release of SDSS-II,
an extension of the original SDSS consisting of three subprojects: The Legacy Survey, SEGUE and a Supernova survey. It is the seventh major data release and provides images, imaging catalogs, spectra, and redshifts for download.
SDSS-III -- Massive Spectroscopic Surveys of the Distant Universe, the Milky Way Galaxy and Extrasolar Planetary Systems
The SDSS-III collaboration announced the publication of Data Release Eight (DR8). The SDSS-III is managed by the Astrophysical Research Consortium for the Participating Institutions of the SDSS-III Collaboration, including JINA Participation Group.