Published in "Internet Resources for Professional Astronomy", eds. M.R. Kidger, I. Pérez-Fournon & F. Sánchez, Cambridge University Press, 1999.

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Abstract. A (subjective) overview of Internet resources relevant to professional astronomers is given. Special emphasis is put on databases of astronomical objects and servers providing general information, e.g. on astronomical catalogues, finding charts from sky surveys, bibliographies, directories, browsers through multi-wavelength observational archives, etc.  Archives of specific observational data will be discussed in more detail in other chapters of this book, dealing with the corresponding part of the electromagnetic spectrum. About 200 different links are mentioned, and every attempt was made to make this report as up-to-date as possible. As the field is rapidly growing with improved network technology, it will be just a snapshot of the present situation.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

DATA CENTRES

ASTRONOMICAL CATALOGUES

RETRIEVING INFORMATION ON OBJECTS

Object Databases

Pseudo-Databases: Searchable Collections of Catalogues

Archives of Observational Data

DIGITAL OPTICAL SKY SURVEYS, FINDING CHARTS, & PLATE CATALOGUES

Digitized Sky Survey Images

Object Catalogues and Finding Charts from DSS

Catalogues of Direct Plates

An Orientation Tool for the Galactic Plane

Future Surveys

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL SERVICES

Abstract and Article Servers

Preprint Servers

Preprint Lists from NRAO and STScI

Electronic Journals

Tables of Contents

``Grey Literature'': Newsletters, Observatory Publications, etc.

Library Holdings

DIRECTORIES AND YELLOW-PAGE SERVICES

MEETINGS AND JOBS

DICTIONARIES AND THESAURI

MISCELLANEOUS

Astronomical Software

Observatory and Telescope Manuals

IAU Circulars, Minor Planets, ATEL, and Ephemerides

Atomic Data

Libraries

Astronomy Education on the Internet

Others

ISSUES FOR THE FUTURE

CONCLUDING REMARKS

REFERENCES