▁mer id ian ▁circle ▁teles cope ▁expedition ▁on ▁the ▁Per th ▁ 7 0 ▁catalog ue , ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁until ▁ 1 9 7 1 , ▁before ▁the ▁expedition ▁astronom ers ▁returned ▁to ▁Germany ▁that ▁Christmas . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 1 , ▁with ▁fund ing ▁by ▁the ▁Government ▁of ▁Western ▁Australia ▁and ▁negoti ations ▁for ▁the ▁loan ▁of ▁the ▁Hamburg ▁teles cope , ▁Nikol off ▁was ▁placed ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁the ▁newly ▁formed ▁Per th ▁Observ atory ▁Mer id ian ▁Section . ▁Dr ▁Nikol off ▁comm enced ▁a ▁new ▁obser ving ▁program ▁of ▁FK 4 ▁and ▁FK 4 ▁Supp lement ary ▁stars ▁that ▁would ▁result ▁in ▁the ▁Per th ▁ 7 5 ▁catalog ue ▁of ▁ 2 5 4 9 ▁stars . ▁The ▁catalog ue ▁not ▁only ▁extended ▁the ▁well ▁rever ed ▁Per th ▁ 7 0 ▁catalog ue , ▁but ▁provided ▁valuable ▁Southern ▁Hem is phere ▁information ▁for ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁FK 5 ▁reference ▁frame ▁sought ▁by ▁the ▁international ▁astronom ical ▁community . ▁ ▁As ▁Government ▁Astronom er , ▁Nikol off ▁passed ▁on ▁the ▁Mer id ian ▁Section ▁to ▁D . ▁Har wood , ▁but ▁kept ▁a ▁keen ▁invol vement ▁in ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁subsequent ▁Per th ▁ 8 3 ▁mer id ian ▁catalog ue . ▁While ▁daily ▁administrative ▁duties ▁kept ▁him ▁busy , ▁Nikol off ▁continued ▁obser ving ▁on ▁all ▁the ▁Observ atory ' s ▁teles cop es ▁at ▁night ▁and ▁on ▁week ends . ▁ ▁Nikol off ▁maintained ▁a ▁good