[vsnet-newvar 741] Re: VSNET name policy proposal

[Taichi Kato <tkato>]

Re: VSNET name policy proposal

> There is no R.A. and Decl. in the list. So when people observe a
> possible variable star with no GCVS nor NSV name, they cannot judge
> whether the star has been reported to the VSNET in the past. If it has
> been reported, people cannot know what name was used in the last
> report for the star they observed.

   Use newvar.cat in such cases.  If the objects are neither in newvar.cat
nor resolved by alias.lst, we can't offer additional a priori information.

> But maybe there is another solution. People can use any kinds of
> various names for one star. Whatever names we used, if we obey the
> following point, the VSNET manager updates the alias list and merge
> the magnitude data properly.

   It is simply impossible.  This requires both the SIMBAD-type name
resolver, whose central database is not publicly available, and the
accurate positions of known and new variables, which are not yet available.
We must admit that we are at a point where we can simply resolve "some of
names", but not all.  This is the present (and probably the near future)
status astronomical catalogs.

> * When to report the magnitude of a star with no GCVS or NSV name,
>   people must attach the R.A. and Decl., at least for the first time.

   This policy would be always appreciated.  If the object is a new variable
star, posting to vsnet-newvar of the nature and identifications of these
objects is also appreciated.

Regards,
Taichi Kato

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