[Aavso-photometry] Bruce Gary's book and other material

[Jim Roe]

Russ Garrett wrote:
> I have read Bruce Gary's book and other books on variable stars, binaries,
> etc..  I have even been with Bruce Gary on 2 or 3 observing sessions and he
> makes it look so easy.
> 
>  
> 
> However, I still have trouble with the basics such as what stars am I really
> looking at and other things with my CCD camera. 
> 

In reading your message I see you are using MaximDL.  I'm not familiar 
with your mount, but can you control it via Maxim?  Is it a go-to?  How 
well will it point?  Can you get to within +/1 one degree of your target?

If so, you've got the tools you need.  First off, plate solve your image 
with PinPoint in Maxim and update your telescope position using the sync 
function.  Compare the solved center of the image to the target 
location.  You can determine if your are East, West, North or South of 
your target and by how much.  If your scope is controlled by Maxim, you 
can "nudge" the telescope in the right direction by the right amount. 
When you get your target in the image and plate solve with PinPoint, use 
the astrometric function to identify your target.

You are equatorially mounted, so make sure your camera is aligned with 
the cardinal directions (ie, rotate the camera until left-right on your 
computer screen is either North-South or East-West).  That will make it 
a lot easier in deciding how to move the scope.

If you can't get any closer than, say +/- 2.5 degrees and/or PinPoint is 
having trouble finding a solution, you might try the free program Elbrus 
which I find to be more robust than PinPoint, especially over wider 
search areas.  You can download it at

<http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/StarLocatorElbrus/files/>

You must be a member of the Yahoo group StarLocatorElbrus (which is 
free, too).

Elbrus will indicate the directions for N, W, S, and E when it finds a 
solution which is also useful.  Elbrus requires the angle of your images 
wrt north to do the wide area search (5x5 degrees is the default), but 
there are tools to help find the right angle.

Give these ideas a try and see how well they work for you.

Jim Roe [ROE]