Astrometry
![Illustration of the use of interferometry in the optical wavelength range to determine precise positions of stars. Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech](/Images/godic/202501/11/Interferometric_astrometry0855.jpg")
![Concept art for the TAU spacecraft, a 1980s era study which would have used an interstellar precursor probe to expand the baseline for calculating stellar parallax in support of Astrometry](/Images/godic/202501/11/Thousandau1_space_probe0855.jpg")
![Diagram showing how a smaller object (such as an extrasolar planet) orbiting a larger object (such as a star) could produce changes in position and velocity of the latter as they orbit their common center of mass (red cross).](/Images/godic/202501/11/Orbit30855.gif")
![Motion of barycenter of solar system relative to the Sun.](/Images/godic/202501/11/Solar_system_barycenter.svg0855.png")
Astrometry is the branch of astronomy that involves precise measurements of the positions and movements of stars and other celestial bodies. The information obtained by astrometric measurements provides information on the kinematics and physical origin of the Solar System and our galaxy, the Milky Way.