[vsnet-chat 4249] Re: vsnet chat topics

[Taichi Kato <tkato>]

Re: vsnet chat topics

   I understand Ishibashi's standpoint (and Stan's as well), but I think we
"VSNETers" (at least as one of its administrators) should not introduce
a "bad custom" of the professional community.  The first person who
have publicly announced the event/discovery/idea should be always credited.
Of course, there may be instances such a "local" rule could be easily
overridden in some professional journals (let's consider who actually
discovered the eclipsing nature of the dwarf nova RX J0909.8+1849 =
HS 0907+1902 -- a complete search thourgh professional journals will give
the truth?).  I understand such a kind of approach is fatal to our morals,
who have been developping an internet community as a medium for free
and quick exhange of information, and could finally destruct the amateur
astronomy -- a very sad thing.  Perhaps the best thing we can do is to
memorize who have overridden the priority.

   The 2001 outburst of GK Per was first discovered and announced by Mike
Simonsen, and prediscovery confirmatory observations were later posted
by Patrick Schmeer.  However, GK Per has been always received attention
since 2001 January, when Sandor Papp (relayed by L. Kiss) reported a
possible brightening in vsnet-obs 31824.  Anyone will be able to find
comments "bright" or something else in subsequent reports in vsnet-obs.

Regards,
Taichi Kato

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