Astronomical Data Query Language

Astronomical Data Query Language (ADQL) is a language for astronomical data query based on SQL 92.^[1]

Astronomical Data Query Language

Stable release	2.0 / 30 October 2008; 16 years ago (2008-10-30)
Influenced by
SQL

Overview

ADQL is a specialized variant of the SQL query language adapted for accessing the astronomical datasets of the virtual observatory,^[2] via the Table access protocol (TAP).^[3] ADQL is designed to handle large datasets distributed over several locations,^[4] while not retrieving data that is not needed.^[5]

Language

ADQL is a query language that allows data to be retrieved via a single command, the select statement, which is designed to perform as the select statement in the SQL language.^[2] ADQL has extensions designed to improve handling of astronomical data such as spherical co-ordinates that are not handled by standard SQL.^[2]

Implementations

ADQL is implemented in packages such as TOPCAT.^[6]

Example

SELECT source_id, ra, dec
FROM gaiadr1.tgas_source
WHERE phot_g_mean_flux > 13