From: "Derek C Breit" <breit_ideas
Date: Thu, 16 Mar 2006 08:56:55 -0800
Importance: Normal
	FILETIME=[A7C91B70:01C6491A]

To the best of my knowledge HQ doesn't assign anyone stars for any
purpose these days. In fact the only resources for suggested targets are
buried in the web pages under 'needs more observations' in the Bulletin,
'easy to observe stars' and the targets on the campaign page. I can't
think of any others.


I wish someone would!

As a very rank amateur, I wish someone was around to say, " Ok with this
setup you are using, try this star, and tell me what mag you get and
why.."

After answering that, the seasoned observer would either say," That is
way off.. Try again " or "Very Good, let's submit that observation and
try this star that is a little bit tougher."

I would also like to see "program" of 5 or 10 stars of each type or
class that are "easy" "moderate" "advanced" to observe..

I am such a newbie to Variables this email may not even make much sense.
Hopefully someone has an idea of what I mean..


Derek


Simonsen
Sent: Thursday, March 16, 2006 6:22 AM


Hoping to further this discussion and answer public and private

RE: ASAS
"Maybe the thing to say is that just because there are no AAVSO

"Surely though they are being looked at by ASAS?"

Yes, ASAS makes things different for southern observers for sure. Even
with ASAS ongoing I wouldn't discourage southern observers from
observing anything based on AAVSO data. There aren't enough observers
and there are lots of interesting stars.

Whether or not it is useful to observe stars in the magnitude range and
skies covered by ASAS is up for debate in my mind. What happens when
ASAS finally goes silent. If everyone has stopped observing those stars
who and how will we pick them up again? Maybe there is some benefit to
continued observations of stars with long historical light curves to
maintain continuity? It is the long term behavior of these stars we are
particularly interested in, right?

ASAS.

RE: Charts
charts. Not all of them but the most have bad sequences en and don't go
faint enough."

Yes, agreed. If you see the whole file you will note that the remarks
columns all pertain to the quality of the charts and sequences. This is
just part of the continued effort on Marc's part to evaluate the charts
most in need of updating, fixing, revising with new photometry, etc.
Marc is even more fanatical about charts and sequences than I am, and
since my efforts have been almost exclusively on cataclysmic variables,
he has been the champion of improved AAVSO charts for Miras.

"Your list seems taking into account only those mirae which have an
official chart. A lot of mirae, some of  them quite bright, don't have
such charts, and are observed using GSC mags."

Yes, I know, but again this list was made (indirectly) as part of the
AAVSO chart process, so it is based on stars with AAVSO charts.

RE: Direction from HQ based on scientific or other criteria

"Just out of curiosity, when I joined the AAVSO many years ago (sorry,
no longer a member), I was assigned Chi CYG as a "check" star, i.e., to
see if my visual estimates were in line with more experienced observers.

I wonder if that star is still used for that reason and, if so, if that

To the best of my knowledge HQ doesn't assign anyone stars for any
purpose these days. In fact the only resources for suggested targets are
buried in the web pages under 'needs more observations' in the Bulletin,
'easy to observe stars' and the targets on the campaign page. I can't
think of any others.

Again, maybe there is some scientific reason to keep observing 'legacy
stars' with long historical light curves, even at the expense of most or
all other Miras. I don't know, what do you think?

Professional astronomers don't seem to be particularly well informed or
interested in a great number of Miras. From my "AAVSO usage reports" the
same stars come up again and again as the ones professionals are
interested in, R Leo, Chi Cyg, Omicron Ceti...

RE: Bad advice

"Maybe an appeal for observers to extend their programs and include some
urgently needed stars might be appropriate. But please don't tell an

I didn't say observing any of these stars was a waste of time, nor was I
trying to imply it. Merely that there are other stars that may be of
interest that receive little or no attention, and "oh by the way, here
is a list for your convenience".


Mike Simonsen

*********************************
C. E. Scovil Observatory http://home.mindspring.com/~mikesimonsen/
AAVSO Chart Team
charts
CVnet Administrator
http://cvnet.aavso.org

**********************************

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