International Astronomical Union
    Commission 8 "Astrometry"

IAU Commissions 8 and 24 were among the original 32 IAU commissions established at the founding meeting in Brussels in 1919. Over the years Commission 8 has changed its name from "Meridian Astronomy" to "Positional Astronomy" and to the present "Astrometry". The original Commission 24 "Stellar Parallaxes" was first renamed to "Stellar Parallaxes and Proper Motions" then to "Photographic Astrometry", but in 2000 it merged with the original Commission 8 to form the present Commission 8.

The IAU Commission 8 "Astrometry" coordinates all aspects of positional astronomy which involve positions, proper motions, and parallaxes of celestial objects. These include establishing celestial reference frames and systems; their maintenance, densification and further improvement using the existing ground-based and space instrumentation and theoretical advancements. Currently, one of the main tasks is to ensure a smooth implementation of the IAU 2000 resolutions aimed at the realization of sub-microarcsecond astrometry. This effort is led by the IAU Scientific Division I "Fundamental Astronomy".