[vsnet-chat 1731] Variable Star Designations in 'The Astronomer'

[Guy M Hurst <guy@tahq.demon.co.uk>]

In message <199903290912.CAA21819@zwicky.mars_hill>, Brian Skiff
<bas@lowell.Lowell.Edu> writes
>     I just did a search in the ADS abstracts service on our three authors,
>and find only articles or notes published on IBVS, IAUC, or MPECs for their
>various activities (variables, supernovae, sundry comets...), and
>particularly no general listing of their discoveries.  I think for most
>European and North American astronomers (I admit a western-hemisphere bias
>here), this means those variables are not recoverable.
>     Perhaps we need to make a case with the SIMBAD folks that both the
>VSOLJ bulletin and Hurst's "The Astronomer" should be indexed by them so
>that they can be more widely known.  The Journal of the AAVSO is indexed
>selectively by SIMBAD, so why not others?
>
>\Brian
Dear Brian,
All the variable star discoveries by Mike Collins are recorded in 'The
Astronomer' once our rigorous checking system confirms the variation. 

Initially reports are logged here by Qyyyy/nnn eg Q1999/080.
This is the eightieth query of 1999. This is used for all suspects
whether they be comets, supernovae, asteroids variables etc. In a
typical year I process between 100-200 claims from around the world.

If further research by Mike adds weight to the variation then I give
variables a preliminary designation as follows:

'TAV Jhhmm+dd' for confirmed variables with numerical part indicating
position.
'TASV Jhhmm+dd' for suspected variables under further investigation.

These are published in 'The Astronomer' and the compilers of the IBVS
published Name Lists and also the GCVS have picked up references from TA
for many years.

In addition we also published all of Mike's variables and 'Q' objects on
the WWW pages of TA (see URL below for main page).

If you feel that SIMBAD should index 'The Astronomer' and can persuade
them I would be more than happy to co-operate on this.

Kind regards,
Guy
----------------------------------------------------------------
Guy M Hurst, 16 Westminster Close, Basingstoke, Hants, RG22 4PP,
England. Tel/FAX:(01256) 471074. International +441256471074
INTERNET:  guy@tahq.demon.co.uk  OR  gmh@uk.ac.rl.star.ast
WWW  http://vsnet.demon.co.uk/astronomer
----------------------------------------------------------------

VSNET Home Page

Return to Daisaku Nogami

---

vsnet-adm@kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp