RE: Star charts

[Thomas Droege <tdroege2@earthlink.net>]

Mike,

Wow!  Very Nice!

I would be very interested in having you make a few charts for variable
stars, and having people actually use them to go out and look through a
telescope at the field with the chart in hand.  I would have a go at this
but I can't see enough to tell anything.

This will quickly point out whether you want to reverse the charts or have
an option.  Printing out black background charts is hard on the printer ink
supply.  One needs to stand by with a syringe to fill the cartridge on the
fly.  ;^)  

I would like to see fiducial marks of some sort 

-|-

at the central star of the chart for ease in identification.  Also IDs of
known variables that are identified by the tass data in your pop up box. 
This is not as hard as it seems, I am working on it.  I recall I just did
500 or so.  I have a program that finds suspects.  Then I run the output
through VizieR.  The result is a list that contains ra, dec and the
variable name(and other stuff).  So variables in a field could be tagged
with their variable name or "Suspect" when not yet determined.  Or as
someone suggested with their WS number.

For the future, a "probably fixed" code would be useful for the pop up box.
I am working on generating big lists of fixed stars.    

Because of various problems the WS number is not as good as would be liked.
But I am working on various filter schemes that promise a higher
significance  I can look at a plot and make a pretty good decision.  I just
have to figure out how to code it.  

Again, this is just great!  I am quite happy that this just a tass data
base.  We shall see if people use it.  Yep!  There are problems.  While
others may disagree, I think the data is already quite good for use for
visual observers.  While you work to make the data accessable, I will work
to fill it with good stuff.  I am working hard to study the data so I can
write a paper on it.  Then it will be possible for professionals to use the
data.  Then we shall see.  

Tom 


> [Original Message]
> From: Michael Sallman <msallman@pro-ns.net>
> To: Tass <tass@listserv.wwa.com>
> Date: 11/28/2003 9:12:17 PM
> Subject: Star charts
>
> Before I go any further with this toy of mine, I wonder if something
> like this would be of use to anyone, or if it is just a toy (albeit kind
> of a cool one).
>
> http://sallman.tass-survey.org/servlet/markiv/template/TassChart.vm
>
> Any and all comments welcome.
>
> Mike
> Like a big, fat Thanksgiving turkey, I'm ready for a roasting. So bring
> it on! :-)
>
>
>