CATALOG OF FAINT STARS AS AN INTERNATIONAL PROJECT AND THE PARTICIPATION OF UKRAINIAN OBSERVATORIES IN ITS REALISATION

Some results of the international astrometric program “Catalog of the faint stars (KSZ)” and the role of the astronomical obser- vatories of Ukraine are discussed. The KSZ program aimed to make the astrometric binding of faint stars to galaxies to provide the possibility of deriving the absolute proper motions of the stars and the inertial coordinate system without dependence on the motions of the stars in our Galaxy. Proper motions related to the galaxies make it possible to determine the systematic errors of fundamental catalogs, independently obtain the precession constant, and also clarify the stellar-kinematic parameters of the Galaxy. The KSZ program influenced significantly such projects as AGK3R (Northern Reference Stars) and SRS (Southern Reference Stars) – all stars of KSZ were included in the AGK3R list, and the SRS list of stars was compiled according to KSZ criteria. The stages of work on the project, both within the observatories of the former USSR and in the international part, are described, namely, the creation of a general fundamental catalog of the KSZ and photographic observations of sky fields with fundamental stars and galaxies. The results of the Pulkovo and Liсk programs are shown. After the completion of the Hipparcos space project, the history of astronomy was divided into two periods: before the launch of the satellite and after it. Some of the astrometric catalogs and programs, including the Faint Star Catalog program, have lost their relevance and currently represent only historical interest