The Role of Space Observations in The Calibration of Fundamental Stellar Quantities

Abstract

This paper summarizes the current status of ultraviolet spectrophotometry with emphasis on the instrumental characteristics unique to space observations and on the application of existing data to the calibration of stellar properties. The currently available data bases will be briefly reviewed. When combined with ground based data, ultraviolet observations provide information on effective temperatures and bolometric corrections for early type stars and on the nature of the intervening interstellar medium. The ultraviolet measurements are sensitive to chemical composition differences and provide a powerful tool in discussion of stellar evolution in composite systems. This review concludes with a brief discussion of future directions in instrumentation and analysis.