[vsnet-chat 5956] Re: [AAVSO-DIS] CCD-V Vs visual observations = U ORIONIS

[Taichi Kato <tkato@kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp>]

Re: [AAVSO-DIS] CCD-V Vs visual observations = U ORIONIS

> Another example:
> 
> 1207-43  MU CEN     JAN 31.5030  2452671.003   <13.8   SRX
> 1207-43  MU CEN     FEB 01.4940  2452671.994   <13.6   SRX
> 1343-41  MU CEN     FEB 04.4861  2452674.9861    3.6   WJD
> 1343-41  MU CEN     FEB 07.4688  2452677.9688    3.5   WJD
> 
> MU Centauri and mu Centauri can't be confused as the same star !!
> They even have different designations, so why this mistake takes place?
> Someone has to make at least a rough control on the data included in the
> listings.
> Software on variable stars needs to be case sensitive. I never understood
> why AAVSO insists in calling l Carinae "L CARINAE". This is not the same
> star. Upper case and lower case are assigned to different stars in the
> Southern hemisphere.

   This is one reason why the AAVSO validation system cannot perfectly
expel the Harvard designations (see my posting on 2002 November 16, referring
to the same pair of objects; also registered as vsnet-chat 5649, after
which the AAVSO server almost indiscriminately blocked information from
the VSNET).

   In the northern hemisphere, there also exists a pair of "u Her" and "U Her".
In the past printed version of the GCVS, there was a documented limitation
of the usage of lower case letters, since lower case characters were assigned
for Russian characters -- though I don't think that the AAVSO inherited
this limitation.  What made the things worse, the GCVS invented unambiguous
expressions of Greek letters with upper case characters only (MIU, NIU,
DZETA etc.) -- a "genetic crossing" of these variety of expressions has
resulted almost thinkable amount of variety of expressions.  When one tries
to introduce a new system, one should be aware of the consequence, and try
to minimize the future confusing situations!  This is a simple matter of
imagination of the expected consequences.

   In order to minimize the confusion, I have recently updated the explanation
of the variable star designations in the following VSNET page.  There is
a standard table of English expressions of Greek letters in it, some remarks
on objects with other catalog designations, too.
[The page is under construction, and is subject to future updates].

   http://vsnet.kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp/vsnet/etc/format.html

Regards,
Taichi Kato

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