M. A. Albrecht
ESO
A. Brighton
ESO
T. Herlin
ESO
D. Durand
CADC
P. Biereichel
ESO
SkyCat is a tool that combines visualization of images and access to catalogs and archive data for astronomy. SkyCat uses a standardized URL syntax to access a large number of data sources on the net. This talk addresses the issues that were solved in defining and implementing such standardized scheme. Basic SkyCat features are: open and visualize a variety of FITS images including support for World Coordinate System (WCS), interactive measurement of offsets and other standard visualization functions (SAOimage-like); overlay and edit color graphic objects on the image, like `tagging' sources with text, arrows, circles or other graphic elements such as masks; PostScript color printing of the display (image + graphics); access and load an image from a network server of the Digitized Sky Survey scans; access and load catalog information from a number of popular astronomical catalogs like the HST Guide Star Catalog and others; access local user catalogs; save catalog data locally; overlay catalog sources on an image; interact with Netscape to display more object information when available; access the observations catalog from the NTT, HST and CFHT Science Archives; access to SIMBAD and NED both as name resolvers as well as for information on known objects. More information on SkyCat can be found at http://archive.eso.org/skycat/ .