In the meantime these systems are being used without oversight or basic checks that any observer should be doing. (The TNS system has no gatekeeper and relies on the accuracy of the submitted data). The issues with this observation are multiple and obvious without needing any further data to anyone with basic knowledge of how transients behave (A mag 14 object which suddenly appears with no sign of a precursor or host galaxy and then stays at identically the same brightness for several weeks should already have raised suspicions.) The ghost negative “missing star” in the (observed – archive) difference image and the double colour star images in the DSS 2 colour archive image of the region made it obvious was going on (even before taking into account the proper motion from Gaia and the 2MASS image showing it in yet another position) yet the operators of this system “followed” it for 4 weeks before finally triggering it as “discovery”.
British Astronomical Association
Supporting amateur astronomers since 1890
