The catalogue of about 200000 stars in the zone from equator to southern pole was complied from photographic observations carried out during 1982 – 1969 years in USSR and Bolivia by Pulkovo astrograph (D=23 sm, F=230 sm, working field 4° × 4° ). The plates were measured by Zeiss Ascoreoord measuring mashines in Pulkovo, Tarija, and others observatories. The process of measurement and compilation of catalogue were carried out in Pulkovo by ES–1033 computer. The observations were made with a four–fold overlap of the sky. Reference oatalogue is SRS catalogue (FK5 system). The differencial refraction, differencial aberration and objective distortion were taken into account. The mean accuracy of catalogue FOCAT-S positions is ±0.123″.

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An idea for a photographic vertical Circle (PVC) was proposed by M.S.Zverev in 1960'. This instrument was used for the observation of the absolute declination of stars in Chile and Pulkovo2. Later in 1980-s modernization of the PVC was made. During its modernization fiber optics were used for improving the readings of the divided circle and making it photoelectrical instead of photographicaJ3. Therefore the precision of the observations were increased up to 0.05". PHOTOGRAPHIC VERTICAL CIRCLEA photographical vertical circle (PVC) was made in Pulkovo Observatory's optico-mechanical workshop from the idea of M.S .Zverev in 19601 • This instrument permits measurement of the absolute zenith distances of the celestial bodies up to 9 magnitude with accuracy up to 0.1". The instrument has the Maksutov objective (D=20 cm, F=200 cm) and photoelectric reading devices for glass graduated circles (now in process of upgrading with CCD device4).Two long series of observation were made with PVC, first in Chile (1964-67) and secondly in Pulkovo . The main purpose of these observations -the determination of absolute declinations of bright and faint stars in both hemispheres2. MODERNIZATION OF PVCSince 1977 the automatic system of reading of two glass circles was introduced into operation with precision of 0.05". Each limb is read by four photoelectric scanning microscopes. During the modernization of the PVC new ligth system of the microscope working fields were designed. The new peculiarity of this device was using only one light source with the fiber optics system for all four microscopes. Four fiber bundles and four transmitting optical systems were installed. The light thread is projected on the enter planes of all 4 fiber bundles and its images are projected on enter pupils of all the micro-objectives. Thus the Kehler illumination scheme was realized. This scheme makes sure the uniform illumination in the limits of several per cent in the working field of 2 mm.The selection of the mode of packing of pixel fibres is very important: in the case of illuminating fiber bundle, photoelectric signals are not so strong as in the case of imaging fiber bundles, when the signals are several times stronger. The selection of the optimal angle of inclination of fibre bundle to the transmitting optical system is essential.Prolonged exploitation of fiber-optical system of our instrument shows a high stability and reliability in the very complicated meteorological conditions of open dome (temperature up to -20° C, 100% of humidity, moisture, hoar-frost etc.). O-8194-1829-3/95/$6.OO SPIE Vol. 2476 / 75 Downloaded From: http://proceedings.spiedigitallibrary.org/ on 06/17/2016 Terms of Use: http://spiedigitallibrary.org/ss/TermsOfUse.aspx

The Nicholas Central Astronomical Observatory in Pulkovo, near Saint-Petersburg, was inaugurated as Russia's principal astronomical institution on 19 (7) August 1839. Construction of the observatory had begun in 1834 following the edict of the Russian Emperor Nicholas I, who had invited as his adviser Professor Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Struve, the Director of the Dorpat Observatory. Emperor Nicholas I appointed Wilhelm Struve as the Director of the new observatory. With regard to funding, the emperor had given Struve a carte blanche to enable him to order from German telescope makers the best astrometric instruments designed according to Struve's own ideas. Hence Wilhelm Struve is to be considered as the co-founder of Pulkovo Observatory.