Faint Sky Variability Survey Catalog of Galaxy Clusters and Rich Groups

The clusters have been identified using a fully automated, semi-parametric technique based on a maximum likelihood approach applied to Voronoi tessellation, and enhanced by color discrimination. The sample covers a wide range of richness, has a density of ~28 clusters per square degree, and spans a range of estimated redshifts of 0.05 < z < 0.9 with mean <z> = 0.345.

Assuming the presence of a cluster red sequence, the uncertainty of the estimated cluster redshifts is assessed to be sigma ~ 0.03. Containing over 100 clusters with z > 0.6, the catalog contributes substantially to the current total of optically-selected, intermediate-redshift clusters, and complements the existing, usually X-ray selected, samples. The FSVS fields are accessible for observation throughout the whole year, making them particularly suited for large follow-up programs.