[Aavso-photometry] Automated star finding

[Jim Roe]

Michael Newberry wrote:
> I'm really sorry if my description of th MExtract module for Mira Pro ended 
> up sounding too much like an advertisement, since I was describing a product 
> more than a technique. The trouble is that the technique is embodied in the 
> way the software works and the product is unique, thus I ended up describing 
> a specific product from a user's standpoint. In the future, I'll try harder 
> to be more generic rather than just just shooting from the hip like that. I 
> apologize in advance if it offended anyone.

I'm certainly not offended, but it will take me a while to digest your 
reply.  I also went to mirametrics.com to peruse the pages there.  I've 
seen (so far) very little mention of astrometry - one reference to WCS. 
  Do any of these products plate solve?  What engine do they use?

You mention variable star discovery which is one of my interests but it 
seems to be in processing "stacks" of images?  I don't want to save and 
process images that may comprise months or years worth of dates.  I was 
looking to measure the magnitudes in each image, store the results in a 
database for later searching, hence the need for RA and DEC values. 
Isn't that what TASS did?  Have they released any software? (Sorry for 
my ignorance, but tempus fugit in my life.)

Jim Roe