SPACE VELOCITY OF THE GLOBULAR-CLUSTER NGC-288 AND ASTROMETRY WITH THE CTIO 4 METER TELESCOPE

Absolute proper motions, referred to galaxies, are determined for appr oximately 7000 stars to B approximately 22.5 in a field near the South Galactic Pole. The proper motions are based on a series of eight CTIO 4 m telescope prime focus plates spanning an epoch difference of thre e years. Special attention has been given to the problem of accurately correcting for the optical field angle distortion and correcting for the magnitude equation introduced by guiding errors. The field of view contains the globular cluster NG-C 288. Our measurement of the cluste r's absolute proper motion, when combined with published estimates of its distance modulus and radial velocity, indicates a space velocity w ith respect to the Local Standard of ReSt of U(LSR) approximately +6 /- 41 km s-1, V(LSR) approximately -3OO +/- 41 km s-1 and W(LSR) appro ximately +54 +/- 1 km s-1. This space velocity indicates that NGC 288 is on a retrograde orbit.