Determining Carbon Star Magnitude - Direct v. Averted

I have been working on the AL Carbon Star certificate and have had a bit of trouble determining magnitude with the red color shift. I generally try to look at an area equidisant to the target star and nearby stars to get an averted vision take on the whole group. I know averted vision adds brightness so this seemed logical (I hope, been observing for a few years but new to the variable scene).

This has yielded some pretty decent results when the stars were roughly the same color. However once you get into to 10+ region with some significant color the carbon star won't come into it's own until you stare directly at it for a couple seconds. The star will literally appear to brighten in the process. Try doing that to a standard white star and you get the exact oppisite effect.

A really good example of this from last night was V CRB. Direct vision put it in the 9.5 region (max) but averted suggested something more like 11.5 (min). I checked the light curve this afternoon and it showed roughly the same ambiguity.

I know our eyes take a bit for the red photons to process and stars themselves vary in peak spectra. Maybe the averted/direct technique could be a biological light filter? That would be kind of cool if the case!

Anyway, just curious how the more seasoned observers out there tackle the problem. Thanks in advanced!

Clear skies,

Cody Lawson