High-precision Timing of Millisecond Pulsars and Precision Astrometry

We present the technique of long-term, high-precision timing of millisecond pulsars as applied to precision astrometry. We provide a tutorial on pulsars and pulsar timing, as well as up-to-date results of long-term timing observations of two millisecond pulsars, PSRs B1855+09 and B1937+21. We consider the feasibility of tying the extragalactic and optical reference frames to that deened by solar system objects, and we conclude that precision astrometry from millisecond pulsar timing has a bright future.