Tycho-2 stars with IR excess

To identify such stars, we have positionally correlated the infrared Mid-Course Space Experiment (MSX) Point Source Catalogue (<V/114>) and the Tycho-2 optical catalogue (<I/259>). Near-mid-infrared colour criteria have been developed to select infrared excess stars.

The search yielded 1938 excess stars; over half (979) have never previously been detected by IRAS. The excess stars were found to be young objects such as Herbig Ae/Be and Be stars, and evolved objects such as OH/IR (infrared) and carbon stars. A number of B-type excess stars were also discovered whose infrared colours could not be readily explained by known catalogued objects.