Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 April 2016
The ESA Astrometry satellite Hipparcos is due to be launched in early 1988. It will measure very precise positions, parallaxes and proper motions for about 100 000 stars. However, in order to be included in the Input Catalogue, the programme stars should have positions and magnitudes known in advance with respective accuracies of about 1" and 0.5 magnitude. This will require new astrometric and photometric measurements and observations. Sky Survey Schmidt plates will be extensively used, especially for astrometric measurements in the Southern hemisphere.