  In this paper we present an objectively defined catalog of 459 small, high
density groups of galaxies out to z~0.2 in a region of 6260 square degrees in
the northern sky derived from the Digitized Second Palomar Observatory Sky
Survey. Our catalog extends down to r = 19.0 and has a median redshift of z_med
= 0.12, making it complementary to Hickson's catalog for the nearby universe
(z_med = 0.03). The depth and angular coverage of this catalog makes it
valuable for studies of the general characteristics of small groups of galaxies
and how galaxies evolve in and around them. We also examine the relationship
between compact groups and large scale structure.
