SIMBAD references

A database containing 618 active and star-forming (A/SF) galaxies and 564 normal galaxies in a 120°x6° wide strip crossing the north Galactic pole was constructed in order to compare the global properties of ``active'' galaxies against a control sample of ``normal'' galaxies. This database combines a literature and catalog search with new optical measurements from the F_pg(red) and J_pg(blue) band images of the STScI Digitized Sky Survey (DSS). We provide alternative names, accurate coordinates, morphological type, activity classes, red and blue apparent magnitudes, 2MASS near-infrared J-H and H-K colors, apparent diameters, axial ratios, position angles, and number counts of neighboring objects in a circle of radius 50 kpc. We also present an atlas of 103 interacting and merging systems among these galaxies. The integrated properties of A/SF and normal galaxies in this sample are compared using a multivariate factor analysis, which reveals that A/SF galaxies are objects with relatively late morphological types, and are more inclined and have bluer optical colors than normal galaxies. In this sample, all merging and interacting galaxies are A/SF objects. Star-forming galaxies are objects with relatively late morphological types, lower absolute luminosities and linear sizes, bluer colors, and higher inclination than sample X-ray or radio sources, as well as Seyfert galaxies. The near-infrared colors of the sample galaxies are independent parameters and do not correlate with activity level or any other parameter of the galaxies.