The 20th data release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

A three-part image showing results from the three mappers that make up DR20 data. Credit: SDSS-V. The Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) has released its 20th data release (DR20), the third release of the survey's fifth phase (SDSS-V). DR20 includes newly reduced spectroscopic data from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) and expands SDSS's efforts by delivering the first optical spectra from the Southern Hemisphere, all-sky panoptic spectroscopy from both hemispheres, and part of the panoptic spectroscopic map planned for SDSS-V. It contains multiple catalogs of objects such as black holes, stars, and interstellar gas, along with imagery and tools for navigating the massive data set. The data includes hundreds of thousands of X-ray-emitting active galactic nuclei (AGN), galaxy clusters, and active stars as part of the SPectroscopic IDentification of ERosita Sources (SPIDERS) program.

• DR20 contains over three million spectra of stars and galaxies.
• It includes 18 value-added catalogs (VACs) for specialized scientific research.
• It features the first all-sky BOSS spectra from the Southern Hemisphere.
• It expands SDSS's efforts by delivering the first optical spectra from the Southern Hemisphere and all-sky panoptic spectroscopy from both hemispheres.

The data release represents a massive operational expansion of the legacy established with prior releases. It provides an unprecedented look at the stars, the interstellar medium (ISM), and distant galaxies. The release includes updated data for the Black Hole Mapper (BHM) and Milky Way Mapper (MWM) projects, which also cut across other SDSS-V programs. The former includes spectra of about 500,000 stellar, intermediate, and supermassive black holes. The latter includes more than 3 million spectra of 1.5 million stars. The data also includes updated information on the Local Volume Mapper (LVM) project, including spectra of hydrogen clouds, planetary nebulae, and nearby galaxies. The release also includes 18 new or updated Value-Added Catalogs (VACs) that allow for specialized scientific research.

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