Search for emission-line galaxies towards nearby voids. Observational data

We present the observational results of our search for emission-line galaxies (ELG) towards nearby voids. In order to find ELG, we started a survey using the IIIa-J objective prism plates from the Hamburg QSO Survey. The plates are digitized and an automatic procedure was applied to select the candidates. Digitized direct plates were used to determine coordinates and to reject overlaps between spectra. The accuracy of the coordinates is +/-2''. A total area of 1248 deg(2) was scanned, distributed in four different regions. All the selected objects were observed with follow-up spectroscopy. We have obtained a final sample of 203 objects, of which 196 are emission-line galaxies, four are galaxies with absorption lines and three are QSOs. Almost half of our objects are newly discovered ones and three quarters of the given redshifts are new. Our sample contains mainly high ionization galaxies and is less sensitive in the detection of low-ionization objects. The apparent magnitudes, as derived from the objective prism plates, range between 15.0 less than or equal to B less than or equal to 19.5. The sample is dominated by nearby galaxies, with a peak in the redshift distribution at cz=4500 km/s.