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Richard and Callum can speak to this far better than me but, I for one don’t post all my VN images on the Gallery – as most users are certainly not as interested as I am.
For the record, in that period, I observed:
PV Cep+Gyul – 9 times
V347 Aur – 16 times (it underwent a flare during the nice weather)
Borisov’s – once
Hinds – 3 times – deeply several others shallow
McNeil’s – 4 times
Thommes – none
NGC1333 – noneAnd I’m only one observer, so I suspect more is going on than is apparent.
When it comes time to write an annual summary of whats going on, then I’m sure Richard knows he can rely on most active observers to supply copies of their images.
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.I posted a few minutes ago, but it vanished.
Heres a quick look at what BAA members have published on VNs in recent years. Some are notes and some full papers. Its not a fast publication rate but respectable and 2 new papers are likely in 2026. Apologies to anyone whose paper I missed.
2005 Hind’s Variable Nebula – Hewitt
2012 PV Cephei and Gyulbudaghian’s Variable Nebula – Boyd
2015 Five Year light Curve of the Herbig Haro Ae Star PV Cephei – Boyd
2019 The Many Faces of Gyulbudaghian’s Nebula – Privett et al
2020 Update on PV Cephei and Gyulbudaghian’s Nebula – Boyd
2020 Brief Further Update on PV Cephei – Boyd
2022 Observations of V347 Aur and its associated reflection neb – Sargent
2022 R CrA and cyclic variations in NGC6729 – Evans/Privett
2023 Brightness variations in R CRA and NGC6729 – Privett/Evans
2024 Variable Nebula Report – Privett/Sargent
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