[vsnet-chat 3773] Re: Archival data status?

[Taichi Kato <tkato>]

Re: [vsnet-chat 3769] Archival data status?

     At the time of the compilation of the VSOLJ database, the VSOLJ people
tried as much as to retrive variable star observations done by Japanese
observers, not only those reported to variable star organizations but also
in those published literatures and manuscripts.  This work of compilation of
"old" observations is not yet complete, but I presume the similar thing
could be equally done by other organizations.  I wonder whether these
projects naturally include professional observations.

     The same problem is continuously growing, and is especially serious
in nova discoveries.  As may have been noticed, many of nova discovery
observations have not yet been incorporated into the VSOLJ database,
because these discoverers didn't always spontaneously report them to
variable star organizations.  In study of such novae, researchers have
to rely on IAUC reports, which are prone to more errors because of
various magnitude systems used by discoverers (some still use SAO
magnitudes, others "raw" GSC etc.).  Since these early epoch observations
are critical in determining the nova decline rate, therby affecting
the nova statistics, these observations need to be continuously revised
and stored in a more systematic and agreed-upon way.

Regards,
Taichi Kato

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