1 BILLION “STARS” Barolo 2001 Attilio Ferrari Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica

The beginning (1988) 13 years ago … The need of new approach to astrometry for OATO OATO people move to STScI to work for HST astrometry

The DSS and Barry Lasker

The 1989 Memorandum of Understanding between STScI and OATO on improving the photometric and astrometric calibrations of GSC-I and the use of astrophysical data The support of Riccardo Giacconi

The grand project (1989) The HST guide star catalog as a scientific tool, a proposal to NASA for GSC-II Difficult times, but still going ahead A (risky) meeting in Geneva (1990) Crucial help from ASI

Memorandum of Understanding between STScI and CRA (1995) PIs: B. Lasker and M. Lattanzi

GSPC-II: photometric calibrations, routine observations at La Silla Memorandum of Understanding between OATO and ECF to speed-up data reduction and calibrations (1997) The actions of CRA Call for Proposals out to the Italian community Coordinator: S. Sciortino (PA) Project Supervisors: F. Fusi-Pecci (BO) and L. Benacchio (PD)

Hard work: plate scanning, observations, calibrations Constant support of CRA for a National project; scientific experiments Resources of OATO (personnel, equipment, wine and “bagna caûda” sometimes) An exceptionally friendly collaboration The invaluable enthusiasm and unabated faith of Barry New forces: ESA and ECF A terrible 1999……

THE GUIDE STAR CATALOG GSC-II THE MOST COMPLETE CATALOG IN THE WORLD THE GUIDE STAR CATALOG GSC-II THE MOST COMPLETE CATALOG IN THE WORLD

GSC2.2 All-Sky Map Galactic projection

FIRST PUBLIC RELEASE OF THE GSC II: THE GSC 2.2 RELEASED ON JUNE 4, 2001 Press release at

Still work to do towards GSC 2.3 Up to 1 billion objects Up to 1 billion objects down to m=22 in J and m=20 in F down to m=22 in J and m=20 in F Proper motions Proper motions Catalog Catalog User’s interfaces User’s interfaces … and finally scientific exploitation … and finally scientific exploitation

Funds allocated (personnel excluded) 60K $ from the Italian Space Agency ( ) 60K $ from the Italian Space Agency ( ) 40K $/year from CRA/OATO ( ) 40K $/year from CRA/OATO ( ) 280K $ contracts from ESO/ECF ( ) 280K $ contracts from ESO/ECF ( ) 20K $ from OATO (2000) 20K $ from OATO (2000) 2K $ in kind (wine and survival goods) 2K $ in kind (wine and survival goods) TOTAL 402K $ less than 0.001$ per object ! or ~ 2 ITL per object or ~ 2 ITL per object or < Barolo glasses per object or < Barolo glasses per object GSC-II - The Italian participation

Thanks to all ! OATO OATOM. Lattanzi, B. Bucciarelli, R. Casalegno, A. Ferrari, R. Pannunzio, R. Morbidelli, M. Sarasso, A. Spagna, R. Smart, A. Volpicelli, A. Zacchei STScI STScIB. McLean, M. Asbury, J. Garcia (Gemini), G. Greene, F. Gugliemetti, G. Hawkins (ESA), V. Laidler, C. Loomis, H. Jenkner, M. Meakes, J. Morrison, A. Rosenberg, C. Sturch, R. White, D. Wolfe (Gemini) ECF ECFP. Benvenuti, N. Fourniol, R. Mignani, B. Pirenne