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[vsnet-outburst 1987] GK Per in outburst-no kidding
Am I the only one who finds it suspicious that the initials Scp 'eventually'
find their way into the VSNET/ AAVSO data when outbursts of "important"
objects are announced by other observers.
After weeks, perhaps months of absolutely no observations being posted
publicly (quiescence?), suddenly Patrick reports observations made days,
hours or minutes prior to the detections already posted to the internet by
other observers. These "observations" are usually posted *after* the initial
detections. And strangely enough, they are not "observations" made just
*after* the initial (dare I say, legitimate?) detections.
After a quick look through vsnet records one can find a number of recent
examples:
DO Dra Nov. 2000 -posted after Chris Jones
HT Cam May 2000 -posted after Timo Kinnunen
QY Per Dec. 1999 -posted after Mike Simonsen
HT Cas July 1999 -posted after Eddy Muyllaert
WX Cet Nov.1998 -posted after Rod Stubbings
V1251 Cyg ???? -posted after Gary Poyner
Looks like a pattern to me. And now, true to the apparent period of this
phenomenon we have:
20010405.076 132 (M. Simonsen)
20010405.817 132 (M. Reszelski)
**20010407.833 130 Scp**
**20010412.819 128 Scp**
20010414.089 127 (M. Simonsen)
20010414.810 126 (M. Reszelski)
20010415.103 127 (M. Simonsen)
Why, if he observed GK Per bright on the evening
of the 12th, did he wait until the morning of the 15th (*after* the
brightening had been confirmed by other observers) to report it?
Putting aside the false claims of credit, his actions can only serve to cast
suspicion on the results of the hard work of the majority of
dedicated and honest amateur observers.
I don't care if my name appears in obscure astrophysical papers on the
behavior of cataclysmic variables. I observe because I enjoy it, and
frankly, I can't stop! But fair play is fair play.
If I am the only one who finds this troubling, I shall not bring it up
again...not even the next time.
M. Simonsen
vsnet-adm@kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp
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