  The carbon dimer, the $^{12}$C$_2$ molecule, is ubiquitous in astronomical
environments. Experimental-quality rovibronic energy levels are reported for
$^{12}$C$_2$, based on rovibronic transitions measured for and among its
singlet, triplet, and quintet electronic states, reported in 42 publications.
The determination utilizes the Measured Active Rotational-Vibrational Energy
Levels (MARVEL) technique. The 23,343 transitions measured experimentally and
validated within this study determine 5,699 rovibronic energy levels, 1,325,
4,309, and 65 levels for the singlet, triplet, and quintet states investigated,
respectively. The MARVEL analysis provides rovibronic energies for six singlet,
six triplet, and two quintet electronic states. For example, the lowest
measurable energy level of the \astate\ state, corresponding to the $J=2$ total
angular momentum quantum number and the $F_1$ spin-multiplet component, is
603.817(5) \cm. This well-determined energy difference should facilitate
observations of singlet--triplet intercombination lines which are thought to
occur in the interstellar medium and comets. The large number of highly
accurate and clearly labeled transitions that can be derived by combining
MARVEL energy levels with computed temperature-dependent intensities should
help a number of astrophysical observations as well as corresponding laboratory
measurements. The experimental rovibronic energy levels, augmented, where
needed, with {\it ab initio} variational ones based on empirically adjusted and
spin-orbit coupled potential energy curves obtained using the \Duo\ code, are
used to obtain a highly accurate partition function, and related thermodynamic
data, for $^{12}$C$_2$ up to 4,000 K.
