Sunetra Giridhar ^*
1Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore 560 034, India

Abstract. In this article we give an overview of the developments in the field of spectral classification and its continued importance in the fields of stellar and galactic evolution. The extension of MK system to cool stars as well as refined classification of a the hot stars using the new data obtained from modern ground based facilities and space missons has been described. A brief summary of automated methods of spectral classifications developed for the quick and objective classification of the ongoing and future surveys is presented. A new spectral class encoding system developed for exploitation of databases is described. Recent large scale spectral classification catalogues are listed.

Keywords: MK spectral classes, luminosity types, automated spectral classification

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