THE MSX INFRARED ASTROMETRIC CATALOG

The MSX Infrared Astrometric Catalog has been constructed as a tool fo r improving the pointing accuracy of infrared observations. The catalo g contains 177,860 astrometric stars, 61,242 which have been identifie d with their infrared counterparts from IRAS catalogs and the Catalog of Infrared Observations through position and color matching. Infrared flux densities are predicted for 6 wavelength bands between 4 and 22 mu m. The catalog identifications are complete to within the spatial c overage of current surveys for those astrometric stars brightest in th e infrared. By predicting fluxes of astrometric stars without IR ident ifications we are able to extend the catalog to areas of the sky which were incomplete in the IRAS catalogs. Furthermore, by retaining stars below the brightness limit of current surveys we are able to provide better spatial coverage to help point or position the next generation of infrared telescopes. (C) 1996 American Astronomical Society.