We describe the realization of a magnetically guided beam of cold rubidium atoms, with a flux of $7times 10^9$ atoms/s, a temperature of 400 $mu$K and a mean velocity of 1 m/s. The rate of elastic collisions within the beam is sufficient to ensure thermalization. We show that the evaporation induced by a radio-frequency wave leads to appreciable cooling and increase in phase space density. We discuss the perspectives to reach the quantum degenerate regime using evaporative cooling.
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