To Our Observers: HELP!

From: Janet A. Mattei, Director
       AAVSO Data Processing Staff

Recently we took a very close look at our Headquarters operations involving the receiving, entry, and processing of observations, and we were frankly shocked at how much technical staff time is required in an average month to process the monthly observation reports and to work with the nightly observations for the AAVSO News Flash - over 200 hours (more than 5 work weeks)! Much of this time is taken up with dealing with:

1. observations (nightly or monthly) submitted electronically in a format that is neither AAVSO format nor an AAVSO-approved format (as indicated on our website);
2. having to use nightly observations in the monthly data processing because an observer does NOT submit a monthly report.

   Not only is a great deal of technical staff time used to make these non-standard data usable that could be more productively spent, but there is also a significant chance for errors to be introduced at Headquarters in converting dates, magnitudes, star names and designations, observer initials, etc.

   With over 30,000 observations coming in each month from over 250 observers, we truly need your help and cooperation in submitting your observations in a format we can work with efficiently and accurately. Here are some very basic things you can do that will help us a great deal:

   1. SEND IN A MONTHLY REPORT.

   After the end of a month, send in all the observations you made in the preceding month. It is essential that you send in a monthly report! Starting in January 1999, we will add to the AAVSO International Database ONLY observations sent to AAVSO as monthly reports. If you do not send a monthly report, your observations will NOT be added to the AAVSO archives. DOS software to enter your observations and create an AAVSO monthly report is available at no charge from AAVSO Headquarters or may be downloaded from our website under Observations.

   2. SEND IN YOUR MONTHLY REPORT EACH MONTH YOU MAKE OBSERVATIONS.

   Please don't let your observations pile up for a few or several months before you send them. It is much easier for us to work with the observations when they are not old and thus out of context with data from other observers. Also, if you send your data on a timely basis, then when astronomers use the current AAVSO data, your data will be among them.

   3. USE AAVSO FORMAT IN YOUR MONTHLY REPORT.

   This is especially important if you send your monthly report electronically or on diskette. This format is the one that our report-formatting program KSOLOREP produces. The format is also given on our website under Monthly Observations.

   4. USE AAVSO FORMAT WHEN REPORTING NIGHTLY OBSERVATIONS FOR THE NEWS FLASH.

   This format is the one that our data-entry program KSOLO produces. The format is also given on our website under Nightly Observations. If you cannot use AAVSO format, please use only one of the other AAVSO-approved nightly formats given on our website under Nightly Observations.

   5. USE THE ONE-LETTER COMMENT ABBREVIATIONS ON YOUR OBSERVATIONS WHEN NECESSARY.

   We have expanded the table of one-letter comment abbreviations printed on the back of the AAVSO Report Form. This expanded table is on our website under Nightly Observations, and will be sent to observers with the 1999 Bulletin.

   6. WRITE YOUR REPORT LEGIBLY.

   Please print clearly! Remember, we do not know your handwriting as well as you do yourself.

   Our goal is to reduce the time for monthly data processing and archiving to less than 100 hours (2_3 work weeks). The 100+ hours saved each month will be used to serve our members, observers, and the astronomical community more efficiently. Please help us achieve this goal!