[vsnet-chat 5541] [AAVSO-DIS] RU Peg- the tip of theiceberg

["Berto Monard" <LAGMonar@csir.co.za>]

Hi observing colleagues,

I wanted to come in at an earlier stage on this, but workload and other
committments prevented that.

I like to start by saying that the AAVSO (and similar organisations) do
a tremendous work in ao collecting and archiving observing data. They
deserve our support and possibly need regular boosts from us.

On the matter of sequence updating however, I think that it doesn't
make sense to delay the implementation of a better (ie a correct)
sequence, not even with one day. 

The only consistency with poor sequences is that observers tend to
avoid the affected variable stars. And where is the continuity than? 

Is it realistic to believe that at any time in the future someone will
organise the recalculation of old visual observations? 
IMO, any delay in implementing correct (photometrically calibrated)
comparison data, will harm the database further. 

The production of updated charts is the right way to go, but the case
of RU Peg is very unfortunate. 

Don't forget that proper sequences, as they have been measured now,
will not have to be overhauled at a later stage. Hopefully new charts
will show magnitudes not just in V, but also in B and R if possible,
even if it were only for a few of the right colored stars near the
variable. I am prepared to help out here ... 

Kind regards,

Berto Monard / MLF
Pretoria




>>> Thom Gandet <tgandet@mindspring.com> 09/27/02 07:28AM >>>
   Agreed that comp star changes need to be made in a "controlled
and consistent" manner.  But the seqeunces are rarely, if ever,
changed,
despite many promises to do so.  So things have never gotten "sorted 
out".

   Compounding the comp star problem is that the AAVSO database does
not include the step estimates made by the observers.  I don't see how
you can salvage older observations - or evaluate any observations
properly - without that information too.

   There seeems to have been quite a few updated charts and sequences
in the last year, which is encouraging.


Thom

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