However the variety of stellar identifications available and really used in the literature presents a difficult problem for anyone wishing to undertake a data compilation in any field of astronomy. The worst case seems to be that of the UBV photometry, considering its worldwide use and the limiting magnitude reached in this system. If one intends to include all possible stars in a compilation, one will face serious problems for faint field stars and stars in star clusters (open and globular).
A number of more fundamental catalogues have been chosen to define the basic identifications of various kinds of stars. We have then tried to find an identification for each star in the basic catalogues first, and kept the original one if nothing else could be found. The SIMBAD database can be used to look for the existing identifications for each object.
Accordingly, one of our main contributions in building the photometric catalogues is to collect the data under a sole designation for each star. The amount of work needed to carry out such a project represents undoubtedly one of the most important part of the whole chain.
The identification principles continuously maintained during this work are recalled below.
The Dictionary of Nomenclature of Celestial Objects presents full references and usages of about 4000 acronyms.