[AZ-Observing] Re: Astroman Site

Jeff,
   Thanks for visiting my web site.  Let me know if you find any dead links, 
ok?
  Nicola Tesla was no doubt the most significant electrical engineer of the 
20th century, without whom the industrial revolution would have been 
impossible.  If you need to know anything about him or his work, don't 
hesitate to ask me.
  When you say, "less accurate CCD data", I assume you are aware that every 
single professional observatory worldwide is now using CCD's in favor of 
outdated photomultiplier tubes.  Your fine book and research 
notwithstanding, you of course would know this. Vast strides in CCD 
technology have taken place since 1990, (the copyright on your book, which I 
have in front of me.)  I can only guess at the reason for it.  Perhaps you 
can shed some light on this?
  As for "real" data acquisition and publishing, as you have read my 
website, I can only figure you haven't reached the part about my membership 
in the AAVSO, and the GCN.  Credit for data is routinely given AAVSO members 
in professional journals, and it is routine also for AAVSO observations to 
trigger satellite observations through "TOO's"-Targets of Opportunity.  
Satellites which use CCD's, btw.  In case you don't know, the GCN takes the 
detection of gamma ray bursts from satellites and distributes them to a 
network of mostly amateur astronomers in the hopes one of them will be in 
position to look for early optical transients of the event.  Photometric 
measurements are taken and volumes of data are used in conjunction with 
later professional data to give a complete picture of the event.  Pros are 
almost completely unable to image GRB's at the drop of a hat, unlike 
amateurs such as myself.  Timing is everything in the GRB world, and only my 
aperture and location on the planet stands in the way of even lowly me 
taking the next GRB discovery image.  If I happen to be in the observatory 
at the time of an alert, even my small scope and "less accurate CCD" could 
have enormous value.
  Kindly temper your condescending tone.

Steve and Rosie Dodder
sdodder@xxxxxxxxxxx
Visit my web site at http://www.stargazing.net/Astroman

_________________________________________________________________
Groove on the latest from the hot new rock groups!  Get downloads, videos, 
and more here.  http://special.msn.com/entertainment/wiredformusic.armx

--
See message header for info on list archives or unsubscribing, and please 
send personal replies to the author, not the list.

Other related posts: