[vsnet-chat 270] Re: New variable stars, etc.

[Stan Walker <astroman@voyager.co.nz>]

At 08:22 PM 4/27/97 +0200, you wrote:
>At 12:15 24/04/97 +0900, Taichi Kato wrote:
>
>>   This situation may be, however, unique to Japan, where amateur hunters
>>have been traditionally requested by professionals not to disseminate their
>>discovery reports by their own judgements, but to consult some agent
>>(Tokyo Astronomical Observatory formally took this position).  Considering
>>how the VSOLJ bulletin is functioning, it looks difficult to change the
>>present situation merely by reviewing or adding options to the current ways
>>of publication.  Probably Kiyota-san could play a role in conveying what
>>are requested to both amateur and professional sides.  I also look forward
>>to hearing from world-wide amateurs on their thoughts.

I'm not sure what all of this says but I think that any competent observer
should be encouraged to get his "discovery" out on VSNet as soon as
possible. Better a little wasted time than missing a few important hours on
a nova. Administrators are often cautious or busy and the information can be
delayed unnecessarily. This happened with SN1987A - the news of its
discovery was not circulated for some hours either from Chile or NZ. There
was no VSNet at the time which was unfortunate.


>  I remember I was
>>once consulted by T. Vanmunster on future media of publication or circulation
>>of excellent works of VVS Belgium -- probably he could also comment on
>>his motivation.
>
>Let me shortly comment on the above paragraph, before making a general
remark on
>the issue of announcing variable star discoveries.
>
>It was not me, but Paul Van Cauteren (former president of the Belgian
>Variable Star
>Section), who once consulted Taichi Kato -and others- on future media for
>circulating
>variable star information. This happened at a moment when VSNET didn't exist
>yet, and 
>when Internet wasn't as widespread as it is nowadays. 
>Paul's suggestion was to start a monthly (?) journal on CV's, aimed at
>discussing
>interesting outburst discoveries, presenting light curves, drawing first
>conclusions from 
>CCD photometry data, etc. At the moment this idea was launched, we were
>discussing 
>electronic means for circulating it. A few months later VSNET arrived, and
>we thought 
>this would cover most of our original objectives, so we gave up the entire
idea.

I think that this was probably unfortunate. VSNet does a good job but it
probably reaches only about 10% of variable star observers. As well, it is
heavily oriented toward CVs and urgent announcements. There isn't much
urgency about Miras and SRs, but they are still interesting. 

Some time ago the AAVSO was lamenting the lack of younger active members - a
situation which has some world-wide parallels. Our own VSS suffers from the
same problem. Both have publications, but both are heavily oriented toward
more serious material in these and are not particularly interesting to some
members. 

Just last year there were plans here in NZ to promote an international VS
publication with a variety of review and other articles - much the same as
those mentioned by Tonny. Not just for CVs, but for Miras, SRs, Cepheids and
the like. It needs to be truly international - not US dominated like so much
of the astronomical publications, and be simple and appealing to a wide
cross-section of observers. 

I don't think that this would conflict with VSNet and it is attractive to
the majority who don't use Internet, or who like to do their reading in bed
or in front of the fire. There are still a few of us. 

I like Paul's ideas, but I don't think that they should be restricted to
CVs. Nor do my colleagues down here believe that a publication should deal
only with results - NZ is the most isolated country in the world (with the
exception, perhaps, of Antarctica) and we'd like to hear a little more about
what some of the rest of the world is doing - for instance the Belgians and
Japanese who seem to be more active then some groups.

Even the VSNet isn't of much interest to most of the members of the group I
help run - which specialises in UBV(RI) photometry - mostly of RS CVns,
SARVs and Cepheids. A broad spectrum link between VS observers might well be
overdue. Is Paul van Cauteren still in the field?

Regards,
Stan Walker

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