2MASS

The Two Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS) was a survey of the whole sky in three infrared wavebands around 2 micrometres (μm): J (1.25 μm), H (1.65 μm), and K_s (2.17 μm). The observations for the survey were taken between 1997 and 2001, at Mt. Hopkins, Arizona for the Northern Hemisphere data and Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, Chile, for the southern hemisphere. The final data release for 2MASS occurred in 2003, and is served by the Infrared Science Archive. The goals of this survey included:

Detection of galaxies in the "Zone of Avoidance", a strip of sky obscured in visible light by our own galaxy, the Milky Way.

Detection of brown dwarfs. As of 2003, 2MASS had discovered 173 brown dwarfs, including 2MASS 0939-2448, 2MASS 0415-0935, 2M1207, and 2MASS J04414489+2301513.

An extensive survey of low mass stars, the most common type of star both in our own galaxy and others.

Cataloging of all detected stars and galaxies.

Infrared measurements from the 2MASS survey have been particularly effective at unveiling previously undiscovered star clusters.

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