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4 Conclusion

Using the positions of the Hipparcos catalog stars to differentially adjust the individual tours made significant improvements to the final results of the program. The resulting catalog is free of most of the systematic errors that would have remained if the original plan of absolute reductions had been followed. In addition the random errors have also been diminished. The value of this catalog to stellar astrometry has certainly been reduced by the outstanding success of Hipparcos. However the observations of the major planets and asteriods should be able to make an important contribution to their astrometry. Improvements to the phase corrections for Mars, Jupiter, and particularly Saturn are significant.

Acknowledgements
The program was carried out under the leadership of J.A. Hughes (1985-1992), C.A. Smith (1993), and F.S. Gauss (1993-1998), directors of the Astrometry Department. The observing program was overseen by T.E. Corbin (1985-1993) and T.J. Rafferty (1993-1996). The operations of the Black Birch station in New Zealand were directed by M.D. Robinson (1985-1989), E.R. Holdenried (1989-1990), T.J. Rafferty (1990-1992), and C.S. Cole (1992-1996). The preliminary daily reductions and editing of the data were carried out by a team composed of various observers and included at one time or another E.R. Holdenried, R.J. Miller, T.J. Rafferty, S.E. Urban, G.L. Wycoff, V. Kallarakal, D.M. Hall, H.E. Crull, S.J. Dick, B.R. Loader, and I. Jordan. Other observers included C.S. Cole, T.E. Corbin, J.C. Doty, R. Etheridge, F.S. Gauss, M.E. Germain, G.S. Hennessy, J.L. Hershey, R.B. Hindsley, E.S. Jackson, J.C. Martin, J.M. Muse, M.D. Robinson, C.B. Sandy, D.K. Scott, C.A. Smith, Z.G. Yao, W.B. Dunn, W. Durham, R. Hudson, T. Love, R. Millington, J. Priestley, R.C. Stone, and A. Wadsworth. The final reductions were carried out by Holdenried and Rafferty with close and frequent consultation with C.A. Smith, D.K. Scott, and T.E. Corbin. James Hughes died before the completion of this project. His planning, leadership, and prescient efforts in this undertaking played an important role in its success. It is our wish to present this catalog as a memorial to him.


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