7 Conclusions

In spite of the small number of common stars in ASPHO1 and ASPHO2 catalogues, the results confirm the opportunity and validity of the global reduction to compute absolute declinations. The comparison of our results with dynamical ones confirms the astrolabe as a potential instrument for this class of observations.

Since February 1998, the photoelectric astrolabe from Calern Observatory (France) is at Antares Astronomical Observatory ($\lambda = +38^{\rm o}57'53''$; $\phi = -12^{\rm o}15'25''$, Bahia, Brazil). We hope, in a near future, to present the results of the observations that will start on March 1999.

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the FAST consortium for the HIPPARCOS data. We are also grateful to R. Boche (in memorian) and B. Chauvineau for their participation in the observational programme. The authors are also grateful to G. Billaud for the conception of the ASPHO. He has guided the team at Calern Observatory until he retired on September 1990. Financial support from CNPq and FAPESP No. 92/3762-0 is gratefully acknowledged.