As the just appointed ‘Variable Nebula Coordinator’ (does it come with a clipboard and peaked cap?!) I feel duty bound to address the point raised by Mike about coordination of VNe observations. So here goes:
1. If there are a number of observers who would like to be coordinated and scheduled to carry out imaging of VNe then I would be very happy to organise and coordinate that. They should email me at vne@britastro.org and let me know their thoughts. However I will not be seeking to press gang observers into such a scheme, only to encourage.
2. Perhaps more important than scheduling is that observers should send me copies of their VNe images (preferably calibrated FITS) as soon as they reasonably can after imaging, so I can put them into the VNe archives. This is not just an academic exercise for 3 reasons. Firstly, they are then available to members doing research on VNe as for example I have been doing recently on Hind’s VN. It will also greatly assist compilation of the triennial report on VNe the first of which was published in the December 2024 Journal. Secondly, although I can pick up images from the BAA Gallery it would become a ‘turn-off’ to other members if every image we took of VNe was posted onto the gallery. Hence send me your VNe images so they can go into the archive. Thirdly, the more often we can image VNe the better (and archive them) since when changes happen they can sometimes evolve over periods much shorter than a month. If observers VNe images are ‘hidden’ in their own systems it makes analysis of changes less easy and maybe less likely.
3. It is quite normal, indeed wonderful, for the BAA Gallery to receive an influx of images on a particular subject when a special event occurs like an eclipse or a bright comet etc. The recent “Mr G” images are in that category, the special event being the recent brightening and prominence of the nebula. This will hopefully encourage more observers to image the VNe’s.
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