The ATLAS3D project is a multiwavelength survey combined with a theoretical modelling effort. The observations span from the radio to the millimetre and optical, and provide multicolour imaging, two‐dimensional kinematics of the atomic (H i), molecular (CO) and ionized gas (Hβ, [O iii] and [N i]), together with the kinematics and population of the stars (Hβ, Fe5015 and Mg b), for a carefully selected, volume‐limited (1.16 × 105 Mpc3) sample of 260 early‐type (elliptical E and lenticular S0) galaxies (ETGs). The models include semi‐analytic, N‐body binary mergers and cosmological simulations of galaxy formation. Here we present the science goals for the project and introduce the galaxy sample and the selection criteria. The sample consists of nearby (D < 42 Mpc, |δ− 29°| < 35°, |b| > 15°) morphologically selected ETGs extracted from a parent sample of 871 galaxies (8 per cent E, 22 per cent S0 and 70 per cent spirals) brighter than MK < −21.5 mag (stellar mass M★≳ 6 ×109 M⊙). We analyse possible selection biases and we conclude that the parent sample is essentially complete and statistically representative of the nearby galaxy population. We present the size–luminosity relation for the spirals and ETGs and show that the ETGs in the ATLAS3D sample define a tight red sequence in a colour–magnitude diagram, with few objects in the transition from the blue cloud. We describe the strategy of the SAURON integral field observations and the extraction of the stellar kinematics with the ppxf method. We find typical 1σ errors of ΔV≈ 6 km s−1, Δσ≈ 7 km s−1, Δh3≈Δh4≈ 0.03 in the mean velocity, the velocity dispersion and Gauss–Hermite (GH) moments for galaxies with effective dispersion σe≳ 120 km s−1. For galaxies with lower σe (≈40 per cent of the sample) the GH moments are gradually penalized by ppxf towards zero to suppress the noise produced by the spectral undersampling and only V and σ can be measured. We give an overview of the characteristics of the other main data sets already available for our sample and of the ongoing modelling projects.

Context. The Kilo-Degree Survey (KiDS) is an ongoing optical wide-field imaging survey with the OmegaCAM camera at the VLT Survey Telescope, specifically designed for measuring weak gravitational lensing by galaxies and large-scale structure. When completed it will consist of 1350 square degrees imaged in four filters (ugri). Aims. Here we present the fourth public data release which more than doubles the area of sky covered by data release 3. We also include aperture-matched ZYJHK s photometry from our partner VIKING survey on the VISTA telescope in the photometry catalogue. We illustrate the data quality and describe the catalogue content. Methods. Two dedicated pipelines are used for the production of the optical data. The Astro-WISE information system is used for the production of co-added images in the four survey bands, while a separate reduction of the r-band images using the theli pipeline is used to provide a source catalogue suitable for the core weak lensing science case. All data have been re-reduced for this data release using the latest versions of the pipelines. The VIKING photometry is obtained as forced photometry on the theli sources, using a re-reduction of the VIKING data that starts from the VISTA pawprints. Modifications to the pipelines with respect to earlier releases are described in detail. The photometry is calibrated to the Gaia DR2 G band using stellar locus regression. Results. In this data release a total of 1006 square-degree survey tiles with stacked ugri images are made available, accompanied by weight maps, masks, and single-band source lists. We also provide a multi-band catalogue based on r-band detections, including homogenized photometry and photometric redshifts, for the whole dataset. Mean limiting magnitudes (5σ in a 2 aperture) and the tile-to-tile rms scatter are 24.23 ± 0.12, 25.12 ± 0.14, 25.02 ± 0.13, 23.68 ± 0.27 in ugri, respectively, and the mean r-band seeing is 0 . 70.

The Kilo Degree Survey (KiDS) is a 1500 square degree optical imaging survey with the recently commissioned OmegaCAM wide-field imager on the VLT Survey Telescope (VST). A suite of data products will be delivered to the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and the community by the KiDS survey team. Spread over Europe, the KiDS team uses Astro-WISE as its main tool to collaborate efficiently and pool hardware resources. In Astro-WISE the team shares, calibrates and archives all survey data. The data-centric architectural design realizes a dynamic 'live archive' in which new KiDS survey products of improved quality can be shared with the team and eventually the full astronomical community in a flexible and controllable manner.

The E3 giant elliptical galaxy IC 1459 is the prototypical galaxy with a fast counterrotating stellar core. We obtained one HST/STIS long-slit spectrum along the major axis of this galaxy and CTIO spectra along five position angles. The signal-to-noise (S/N) of the ground-based data is such that also the higher order Gauss-Hermite moments (h 3 -h 6 ) can be extracted reliably. We present selfconsistent three-integral axisymmetric models of the stellar kinematics, obtained with Schwarzschild's numerical orbit superposition method. The available data allow us to study the dynamics of the kinematically decoupled core (KDC) in IC 1459 and we find it consists of stars that are well-separated from the rest of the galaxy in phase space. In particular, our study indicates that the stars in the KDC counterrotate in a disk on orbits that are close to circular. We estimate that the KDC mass is ≈ 0.5% of the total galaxy mass or ≈ 3 × 10 9 M ⊙ .We estimate the central black hole mass M • of IC 1459 independently from both its stellar and its gaseous kinematics. Although both tracers rule out models without a central black hole, neither yields a particularly accurate determination of the black hole mass. The main problem for the stellar dynamical modeling is the fact that the modest S/N of the STIS spectrum and the presence of strong 1 Based on observations with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the AURA, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. These observations are associated with proposal no. 7352.-2gas emission lines preclude measuring the full line-of-sight velocity distribution (LOSVD) at HST resolution. The main problem for the gas dynamical modeling is that there is evidence that the gas motions are disturbed, possibly due to non-gravitational forces acting on the gas. These complications probably explain why we find rather discrepant BH masses with the different methods. The stellar kinematics suggest that M • = (2.6±1.1)×10 9 M ⊙ (3σ error). The gas kinematics suggests that M • ≈ 3.5 × 10 8 M ⊙ if the gas is assumed to rotate at the circular velocity in a thin disk. If the observed velocity dispersion of the gas is assumed to be gravitational, then M • could be as high as ∼ 1.0 × 10 9 M ⊙ . These different estimates bracket the value M • = (1.1 ± 0.3) × 10 9 M ⊙ predicted by the M • -σ relation. It will be an important goal for future studies to attempt comparisons of black hole mass determinations from stellar and gaseous kinematics for other galaxies. This will assess the reliability of black hole mass determinations with either technique. This is essential if one wants to interpret the correlation between the BH mass and other global galaxy parameters (e.g. velocity dispersion) and in particular the scatter in these correlations (believed to be only ∼ 0.3 dex).

Context. The Kilo-Degree Survey (KiDS) is an optical wide-field imaging survey carried out with the VLT Survey Telescope and the OmegaCAM camera. KiDS will image 1500 square degrees in four filters (ugri), and together with its near-infrared counterpart VIKING will produce deep photometry in nine bands. Designed for weak lensing shape and photometric redshift measurements, its core science driver is mapping the large-scale matter distribution in the Universe back to a redshift of ∼0.5. Secondary science cases include galaxy evolution, Milky Way structure, and the detection of high-redshift clusters and quasars. Aims. KiDS is an ESO Public Survey and dedicated to serving the astronomical community with high-quality data products derived from the survey data. Public data releases, the first two of which are presented here, are crucial for enabling independent confirmation of the survey's scientific value. The achieved data quality and initial scientific utilization are reviewed in order to validate the survey data. Methods. A dedicated pipeline and data management system based on A-WISE, combined with newly developed masking and source classification tools, is used for the production of the data products described here. Science projects based on these data products and preliminary results are outlined. Results. For 148 survey tiles (≈160 sq.deg.) stacked ugri images have been released, accompanied by weight maps, masks, source lists, and a multi-band source catalogue. Limiting magnitudes are typically 24.3, 25.1, 24.9, 23.8 (5σ in a 2 aperture) in ugri, respectively, and the typical r-band PSF size is less than 0.7 . The photometry prior to global homogenization is stable at the ∼2% (4%) level in gri (u) with some outliers due to non-photometric conditions, while the astrometry shows a typical 2D rms of 0.03 . Early scientific results include the detection of nine high-z QSOs, fifteen candidate strong gravitational lenses, high-quality photometric redshifts and structural parameters for hundreds of thousands of galaxies.