[Aavso-photometry] How many stars can I measure revisited

[David Craft]

Thanks Tim,  Radu,  Juergen for all of your helpful replies to my 
earlier post..

If I combine all of your considerations, it seems reasonable to expect about 100 different targets per night, assuming 3 to 8 minute total exposure times for each of the 15 to 18 mag objects, and clear sky.  Also, I now expect about 5 hours of computer operating time for each of the imaging hours; however, I may be able to reduce that time if I can automate most of the data reduction process.

This is helpful information, as I must determine how much energy will be needed (this is an off-grid observatory with only solar and gasoline power sources).  I also must determine if 100 targets per clear night is sufficient to get the job done.

In a few years I expect to retire to this observatory, and I'd like to do some science on my own terms during those years.  I am investigating the value of generating a photometric data set for a number of variable QSO's, one that spans a long interval of many years while retaining good time resolution.  One intended use of this data set will be to evaluate whether the time scale of measured QSO variability changes between QSO's of differing 'z' in a way supporting evidence of relativistic time dilation; M.R.S. Hawkins has done work in this regard.

Thanks for your replies.  My next task is to learn more about the characteristics of QSO variability so I can try to determine  if 100 target objects per night is enough objects to get that particular job done.

I will also investigate 'gtx', and pipelined data reduction.

Dave Craft