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Dear Taichi and All >(This is not a query to Janet herself, but I would like to know the >thoughts by other variable star observers/researchers). Regarding thoughts of observers on the LPV NMO Campaign, I consider myself a fairly typical variable star observer. I observe mainly for enjoyment and a natural curiosity about the universe in which we live. If I contribute a little to science along the way then we are all winners. My working list contains the usual assortment of CVs, RCBs, ZANDs, Miras and SR, plus a few eclipsers and other types. The telescopic Mira and SR stars are usually checked towards the end of an observing session after working through the other "more important" stars. Why one star is more important than another will depend upon who you ask and CVs have been the flavour since the 1970s (?) when it was generally recognised amateurs could provide useful data on stars other than LPVs. The need to maintain regular observations of LPVs for which many decades of data is already available is essential as already noted by others. I am happy to contribute to this ongoing long term data. The global distribution of observers sees the southern sky with more than its share of stars in need of more observation. Many of these stars are not included in the AAVSO program but charts are available through the VSS RASNZ. Some have no standard charts. The location of my telescope makes it physically impossible to look north of the celestial equator so I naturally concentrate on the often neglected southern skies. A decade or so ago I commenced observing a number of southern LPV for which the basic catalogue data of visual magnitude range, period, M-m and epoch for maximum brightness is mostly lacking. This is certainly a long term project but now there is sufficient data on some stars to provide this detail. Recent posting on EO Eri (NSV1710), V371 Hya (NSV4189), NSV4721 Vel and NSV5087 Car are the first stars for which results have been summarised through the vsnet. Of these, NSV4721 seems an interesting star of variable amplitude. Other little studies stars for which enough data is now available to establish the basic parameters of their variability include SW Hor, ST Ret, WY Pyx (NSV4154), UU Pyx, BH Pyx (NSV4223), IY Car, SS Cru, YY Cen, NSV19431 Cen, X Mus, NSV6692 Cen and V630 Ara. Hardly world shattering news but useful as it will fill a few more gaps in the catalogues. It is intended to summarise these as time permits. Amongst the SR stars, UY Cen has apparently received little attention over the years but the current deep decline has triggered some interest. I understand recent spectra obtained at Sutherland in South Africa suggest this decline is associated with some kind of dust obscuration event. Perhaps the case of UY Cen shows we do not really know which stars will be important next week and hence the need for regular monitoring of all stars (if at all possible). Once obscure stars such as NSV6708 (V854 Cen) and CD-22.12017 (HadV98) were not interesting until regularly observed. The above are, of course, just my thoughts and apologies for the long post. Regards. Peter Williams Heathcote NSW.
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