The Great Observatories All-sky LIRG Survey (GOALS), is combining imaging and spectroscopic data from NASA's Spitzer, Hubble, Chandra and GALEX space-borne observatories in a comprehensive study of over 200 of the most luminous infrared-selected galaxies in the local Universe. The sample consists of nearly 180 Luminous Infrared Galaxies (LIRGs) with luminosities above 10¹¹ L_☉ as well as 22 Ultra-Luminous Infrared Galaxies (ULIRGs) with luminosities above 10¹² L_☉. The objects are a complete subset of the IRAS Revised Bright Galaxy Sample (RBGS), which includes 629 galaxies with 60-micron flux densities above 5.24 Jy and Galactic latitude above five degrees. The GOALS galaxies are the nearest, z < 0.088, and brightest, far-infrared galaxies in the sky.

     The LIRGs and ULIRGs targeted in GOALS span the full range of nuclear spectral types (type-1 and type-2 AGN, LINERs, and starbursts) and interaction stages (major mergers, minor mergers, and isolated galaxies). They provide an unbiased picture of the processes responsible for enhanced infrared emission in the local Universe, and are excellent analogs for infrared and sub-millimeter selected galaxies at high-redshift.