[vsnet-chat 1030] Some remarks

[stars@personal.eunet.fi (Timo Kinnunen)]

Gene Hanson says:
>But I've been doing this work far too
>long and I go by the principle that *every* visual observer
>should adhere: I report what *I* see.

Dear colleagues,

  My comment is a bit off-topic. Let me put it this way:
I report what my eye *sees*, what the response of my eye is,
like it or not.

           ---

  With more experience I have become aware of problems with observing
near horizon. Usually I don't observe from under 20 deg above
horizon but I think that SS Cyg and RX And, which are circumpolar
here, are still worth observing while they are at north.
The problems are: extinction (which I believe is very colour
sensitive), twilight, and everchanging atmospheric conditions.
So I think Taichi may have commented some apparent changes (in RX And) which 
may be non-astronomical. I have given thought to this, is there any way to 
improve from what I see (to cancel atmospheric effects), and the answer is 
absolute no.

           ---

  Back in 1976, in the very beginning of my observing career, I was
*very* worried of my estimates, when R Leo exceeded the max magnitude given 
in the chart by wholly half a magnitude!

                                Regards,
                                Timo Kinnunen

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