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Dark Energy Survey Year 6 Results: Photometric Dataset for Cosmology

Publication ,  Journal Article
Bechtol, K; Sevilla-Noarbe, I; Drlica-Wagner, A; Yanny, B; Gruendl, RA; Sheldon, E; Rykoff, ES; De Vicente, J; Adamow, M; Anbajagane, D; Lee, S ...
Published in: The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
February 1, 2026

We describe the photometric dataset assembled from the full 6 yr of observations by the Dark Energy Survey (DES) in support of static-sky cosmology analyses. DES Y6 Gold is a curated dataset derived from DES Data Release 2 (DR2) that incorporates improved measurement, photometric calibration, object classification and value-added information. Y6 Gold comprises nearly 5000 deg of imaging in the south Galactic cap and includes 669 million objects with a depth of  ∼ 23.4 mag at a signal-to-noise ratio ∼ 10 for extended objects and a top-of-the-atmosphere photometric uniformity <2 mmag. Y6 Gold augments DES DR2 with simultaneous fits to multiepoch photometry for more robust galaxy shapes, colors, and photometric redshift estimates. Y6 Gold features improved morphological star–galaxy classification with an efficiency of 98.6% and a contamination of 0.8% for galaxies with 17.5 <   < 22.5. Additionally, it includes per-object quality information, and accompanying maps of the footprint coverage, masked regions, imaging depth, survey conditions, and astrophysical foregrounds that are used for cosmology analyses. After quality selections, benchmark samples contain 448 million galaxies and 120 million stars. This publication is complemented by data access and documentation.

Duke Scholars

Published In

The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series

DOI

EISSN

1538-4365

ISSN

0067-0049

Publication Date

February 1, 2026

Volume

282

Issue

2

Start / End Page

62 / 62

Publisher

American Astronomical Society

Related Subject Headings

  • Astronomy & Astrophysics
  • 5101 Astronomical sciences
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
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Bechtol, K., Sevilla-Noarbe, I., Drlica-Wagner, A., Yanny, B., Gruendl, R. A., Sheldon, E., … Zhang, Y. (2026). Dark Energy Survey Year 6 Results: Photometric Dataset for Cosmology. The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, 282(2), 62–62. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4365/ae18d3
Bechtol, K., I. Sevilla-Noarbe, A. Drlica-Wagner, B. Yanny, R. A. Gruendl, E. Sheldon, E. S. Rykoff, et al. “Dark Energy Survey Year 6 Results: Photometric Dataset for Cosmology.” The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series 282, no. 2 (February 1, 2026): 62–62. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4365/ae18d3.
Bechtol K, Sevilla-Noarbe I, Drlica-Wagner A, Yanny B, Gruendl RA, Sheldon E, et al. Dark Energy Survey Year 6 Results: Photometric Dataset for Cosmology. The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. 2026 Feb 1;282(2):62–62.
Bechtol, K., et al. “Dark Energy Survey Year 6 Results: Photometric Dataset for Cosmology.” The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, vol. 282, no. 2, American Astronomical Society, Feb. 2026, pp. 62–62. Crossref, doi:10.3847/1538-4365/ae18d3.
Bechtol K, Sevilla-Noarbe I, Drlica-Wagner A, Yanny B, Gruendl RA, Sheldon E, Rykoff ES, De Vicente J, Adamow M, Anbajagane D, Becker MR, Bernstein GM, Carnero Rosell A, Gschwend J, Gorsuch M, Hartley WG, Jarvis M, Jeltema T, Kron R, Manning TA, O’Donnell J, Pieres A, Rodríguez-Monroy M, Sanchez Cid D, Tabbutt M, Tan CY, Toribio San Cipriano L, Tucker DL, Weaverdyck N, Yamamoto M, Abbott TMC, Aguena M, Alarcón A, Allam S, Amon A, Andrade-Oliveira F, Avila S, Bernardinelli PH, Bertin E, Blazek J, Brooks D, Burke DL, Carretero J, Castander FJ, Cawthon R, Chang C, Choi A, Conselice C, Costanzi M, Crocce M, da Costa LN, Davis TM, Desai S, Diehl HT, Dodelson S, Doel P, Doux C, Ferté A, Flaugher B, Fosalba P, Frieman J, García-Bellido J, Gatti M, Gaztanaga E, Giannini G, Gruen D, Gutierrez G, Herner K, Hinton SR, Hollowood DL, Honscheid K, Huterer D, Jeffrey N, Krause E, Kuehn K, Lahav O, Lee S, Lidman C, Lima M, Lin H, Marshall JL, Mena-Fernández J, Miquel R, Mohr JJ, Muir J, Myles J, Ogando RLC, Palmese A, Plazas Malagón AA, Porredon A, Prat J, Raveri M, Romer AK, Roodman A, Samuroff S, Sanchez E, Scarpine V, Smith M, Soares-Santos M, Suchyta E, Tarle G, Troxel MA, Vikram V, Walker AR, Weller J, Wiseman P, Zhang Y. Dark Energy Survey Year 6 Results: Photometric Dataset for Cosmology. The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. American Astronomical Society; 2026 Feb 1;282(2):62–62.

Published In

The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series

DOI

EISSN

1538-4365

ISSN

0067-0049

Publication Date

February 1, 2026

Volume

282

Issue

2

Start / End Page

62 / 62

Publisher

American Astronomical Society

Related Subject Headings

  • Astronomy & Astrophysics
  • 5101 Astronomical sciences