Barry M. Lasker

The Guide Star Catalog and the Digitized Sky Survey as Resources for other Surveys

In contemplating the planning and implementation. of all-sky survey missions — either from the ground, such as DENIS and 2MASS. or from space. such as GAIA — it is useful to recall that an important part of observational astronomy has historically been the creation of catalogs containing the reference and program objects required to support such observing programs. As the technological complexity and cost of large-scale astronomical projects has increased dramatically over the last decades, so has the demand to provide the best scientific return for these investments by optimizing observing efficiency, which in turn depends on the use of proper pointing and input catalogs.