[vsnet-chat 264] Re: New variable stars, etc.

[Bill Dillon <bdillon@houston.geoquest.slb.com>]

Fraser Farrell wrote in part:

> 19 out of 20 discoveries turn out to be false alarms.  Regretfully, many
> people are so eager for fame that they do not bother with basic checks.
> This year, for example, I have had Mars, Omicron Cet, and NGC 2070
> reported to me as "novae" by new chums.  One idiot even phoned me at 4am
> a few years ago reporting a mag -1 "supernova" - Canopus! - which earned
> him a rude and embarrassing putdown from me...

People from Down Under should know better than to report Canopus (or Mars!),
but there are plenty of idiots north of the equator too.

You brought to mind the time I moved from Virginia (~38 N) to Texas
(~30 N).  I saw a dazzling star way below Sirius and five or
so degrees above the horizon. I'd never seen it before!  The heart-rate
went way up until I consulted my star charts.  It was the first time
I'd ever seen Canopus.

At least I didn't wake anyone up.

--Bill Dillon
bdillon@houston.geoquest.slb.com
http://vsnet.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/7477/

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