Preface
Astronomy and astrophysics are fields that are undergoing tremendous growth as a consequence of three decades of scientific, technological, and instrumental breakthroughs. Canadian astronomers have made key contributions to the golden age of astronomy that is now upon us.
The coming two decades will see the development of new types of observatories both on the ground and in space that will catapult to new levels, our knowledge of everything from the formation of planetary systems, stars, and galaxies,to the structure of the universe itself. Our investment in this truly exciting age of cosmic exploration will have benefits for many areas of fundamental astronomical and scientific research, public education and culture, and technological and industrial development. More than ever, a process to develop a unified vision for the new astronomical research facilities over the next 10-15 years is needed. This goal led to the commissioning of a panel, in the summer of 1998, whose charge was to develop a comprehensive view and decadal program for astronomy and astrophysics in Canada. Fundamental to this process is the requirement that the vision articulated in the plan truly reflects the needs of the Canadian astronomical community as a whole and represents the consensus of our community.
The Long Range Planning Panel (LRPP) was established by the National Research Council (NRC) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) with the full participation of the Canadian Astronomical Society (CASCA). The chair was selected in mid July of 1998, and the membership of the panel developed with the full participation of all three agencies over the next month. The seven member panel consists of Ralph Pudritz (Chair, McMaster University), Andrea Dupree (Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics), William Harris (McMaster University), Gilles Joncas (Université Laval), Simon Morris (NRC's Herzberg Institute for Astrophysics),