Confronting mock skies with deep observations

Computer generated mock observations underpin the interpretation of modern astrophysics. Ongoing and future large survey programmes such as the Dark Energy Survey, Euclid and PanStarrs rely upon such models to train and validate their search algorithms and data extraction techniques. We lead a project to construct such mock skies, which aims to provide verified model skies to these large programmes. The aim of this project is to confront these catalogues with the current plethora of detailed observational evidence about the Universe we live in. This challenge will inform and update the numerical models, revealing the physical processes that drive galaxy formation and evolution.