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Posted by Duncan Bryson at 17:53 on 2011 Mar 06
It is in the top right corner – where is chatbox it does not appear on the drop down menu.
Posted by Peter Meadows at 17:03 on 2011 Mar 05
Hi Mike,Can I suggest that you email myself, as the RTP coordinator, if you wish to contact any of the project leaders (robotscope@britastro.org). As coordinator it would be useful to know who wishes to become involved in any of the current projects. I’ve added this to the main RTP page.The html problems have been fixed – these only occurred for IE.The question of the availability of images to other BAA members is still be considered. My view is that if the project leaders wish to make their images available to other members then this can only be done on a voluntary basis as there was no requirement to provide these when applying for the 50% BAA subsidy.Peter
Posted by Jeremy at 13:05 on 2011 Mar 05
I am probably not looking hard enough, Callum, but I couldn’t see it on the "Members" dropdown menu. Where is it?Go well!Jeremy
Posted by Jeremy at 12:58 on 2011 Mar 05
I wrote to my MP last week-end along the lines in the BAA position statement (effect of the hour change on observing the night sky and public outreach, especially to children hence negative impact on developing scientifically interested and literate people), which I thought brought a new angle to the debate. I received a reply this morning acknowledging this angle and acknowledging the importance that astronomy has in turning children towards interests in science. Clearly there are other angles such as less artificial lighting demand (=less energy = less CO2 emission; I am not so sure about this) trade with the EU and more time for recreational activities. But of course, most people think of recreational activities such as sports and sitting in the pub beer garden (or do I hear you say, continental cafe society?). So I think putting the view that other recreational activities, e.g. astronomy, being negatively affected is important. Whilst my MP veers to no change, he will consider the merits of the arguments. So perhaps there is time to influence MPs.I, for one, hope there is no change.Go well!Jeremy
Posted by Jeremy at 19:05 on 2011 Mar 04
Of course the images paid for (at least partially) the BAA should be made available for all members to see and use (with appropriate credit). I see no problem with other people making use of the images for their own study/research. Science is all about making the original data for others to use the main challenge is often in the interpretation of the basic data (in this case images).Andrea asks:>>in the hypothetical case of (me) releasing all the raw images what would be preventing anyone else to do the data analysis and publish the results him/herself? <<Absolutely nothing prevents this. And thats a good thing: it should be encouraged. Maybe the final results and conclusions will be different from yours. In such a case, it may lead to further understanding. Thats what science is about. If one pays for the results out of ones own pocket, then one can decide when to release the images/data etc. But if BAA member services have paid, then they should be freely available to all members.This is already common in the field of VS research too. Every day dozens of observers upload their data (including data reduced from CCD images) to the AAVSO web site (and other groups like BAA VSS and Center for Backyard Astrophysics), making them freely available for others to use immediately.Go well!Jeremy
Posted by Gary Poyner at 18:04 on 2011 Mar 04
If your undertaking research with your data (photometry for instance), with the end result being a paper for BAAJ, then you wouldn’t want your data to be freely avaialable until it was finished with and published. Of course! However if your taking pretty pictures to see how a particular variable nebula is behaving (images which are freely available from dozens of places on the web) then I see no problem with the BAA releasing some of these. Are all images obtained in the name of research with the aim for publication? I guess it’s what your intending on doing with it in the end that matters. However I’m hardly the person to argue this point, as I don’t see myself paying for any images in the future (either with the BAA or anyone else). I was simply interested to hear what the objections were.To give you an example of my own remote observing with the AAVSO. I use the 50cm telescope at Sonoita Research Observatory in Arizona for photometry of magnetic CV’s. This is part of a network of telescopes run by the AAVSO called AAVSOnet. Everyone’s images are placed in a folder for retrieval once they have been completed (can be 10mb each with in my case 100+ images available each night). This folder is public! No passwords are required. Even non-members can get in and retrieve any image and analyse the data within it. Other than membership fees there is no cost involved, as this facility is open to any member who can put in a convincing research proposal.Gary
Posted by Andrea Tasselli at 16:33 on 2011 Mar 04
Ahem…Being the "owner" (for lack of better words) of one of the ongoing observational projects (that is the first one) listed there I feel I should spend few words on the subject. The normal approach in astronomical research (as well as in many others scientific endeavours) is to reserve the right of access of the acquired data to the principal investigator and/or team until proper paper(s) is/are published, this for obvious reasons which have to do with priority of discovery as well as other various, often financial, reasons. In the specific case of these baa-founded project the actual "owner" actually has ownership for slightly more than 50% (since he/she funded both the remaining 50% and his/her share as baa member). Therefore I do see an issue in terms of ownerships of the rights of the data until a paper is produced or the data itself is released to the public by the "owner". In addition to that in due course the "owner" may well have increased the personal contribution to the project so that the actual personal pecuniary share is (far) larger than the original 50% plus (as it is in my case).In the hypotetical case of (me) releasing all the raw images what would be preventing anyone else to do the data analysis and publish the results him/herself? On top of this there is the sheer weight of the data, which can be in the order of 100s of MB. Is there enough capacity in the baa server to handle potential GBs of data?This said, if the council decide that the data should be released to other baa members at large I’ll obligingly comply. At present however I’ll only release jpg images to the interested parties, if available.Andrea T.
Posted by Norman Morton at 19:51 on 2011 Mar 03
Hi RoyCrikey!! Thats amazing you got such clear pics just using a standard Webcam, Very interesting indeed,Just goes to show though, that you don’t have to have alot of expensive gear to get to view & take pics of our Night sky’s, Thanks for sharing :)..considering I got a spare SPC880 NC when I got the flashed one, It means I have an ever growing means of getting some pics & alot of experimenting to do on my part :)…I now have pretty much everything organized now, I’m going to be Collimating the Skywatcher this weekend, so am hoping for some good clear nights next week so I can get the hang of setting up the scope (First set up will be in day light on a distant object) & getting to terms with setting up on some night images, before I attempt any photo work with it. But am excited about getting to grips & learning about this fascinating subject..I’ve already Flashed the up-dates into the Synscan Handset & Motor Drives (had to get an adapter to go from the RS-232 cable that comes with the Synscan to a USB (my laptop doesn’t have a Com port)) Hence why it’s taken me until now before I’ve gone out with the scope, wanted to make sure I had everything up to date…. Although from what you achieved with just a normal Webcam, maybe I’m too over cautious ;-)….As I said, I’m hoping to be able to get out & about next week, Weather permitting & free time permitting :)…. Will be going to Liverpool Next weekend to visit Son, so really want to get out & at least get the scope set-up & pear into the cosmos if only for a little while :)…All the BestNorman
Posted by Gary Poyner at 13:33 on 2011 Mar 03
I personally don’t see why the images shouldn’t be available for any member to see. Sounds like a good idea to me, and as you say gives a higher profile as to the quality of the remote telesope being used. I’d like to hear more about the objections made to this proposal though.The Bradford Robotic Telescope retain the copyright of all images taken with their instruments, and all images are freely available to anyone with an account. OK, one doesn’t have to cough up any cash to use the BRT, but the system works well enough.If I had paid money towards an image taken under the Robotic Telescope Project, it wouldn’t bother me who saw it, or if it was freely available to members. I would also be OK with that image being used by someone else for a paper perhaps, providing everyone concerned was credited properly.Gary
Posted by Mike Harlow at 13:19 on 2011 Mar 03
Good to see a bit more information on the RTP page about what is actually going on. It would be very useful if each project had a contact name and e-mail associated with it. Then any member keen to get involved could contact the project leader to discuss the work being done and how to get involved.Incidentally some stray html source code has leaked into the table of activities on the RTP page.Another issued I asked to be discussed at the December 2010 BAA council meeting was the availability of the images produced by the robotic telescope projects. Given that the BAA, i.e. all the members, contribute 50% of the cost of the telescope time I would expect all the images produced to be available to all members. I understand that there was considerable resistance to this proposal amongst council members. What do ordinary members (like me) think about this? I for one would like to see what my money is being spent on. But more than that seeing what these telescopes can do would certainly encourage others to get involved.I like the NASA approach where all their raw images are made available on the internet for anyone to look at. That doesnt stop NASA producing copious numbers of research papers and conference proceedings. After all, the clever bit is in the image processing, interpretation and publishing of the results.Any comments???Mike Harlow
Posted by Roy Hughes at 19:56 on 2011 Mar 02
Norman,I know this a bit off topic, but….if you are not all set up yet you might get a laugh trying something I just thought of (several years late!).Out of dumb curiosity I just put one of the webcams (with original lens) on a tripod hooked it to the laptop and shot a 20 secs. AVI of Orion from just outside the back door. Just made a guess at focussing, and let the camera use all its automatic settings.Slapped it into Registax which removed all the noise and an overflying aircraft. (I’m under the Heathrow flightpath.) Then into Corel Photobook to push the contrast a bit.From such a quick and dirty experiment I was quite surprised at the result. Certainly NOT a candidate for picture of the week but the constellation was recognisable and I think I can detect a bit of nebulosity in the sword.This is manifestly NOT what the cameras are best at… but still.BestRoy
Posted by David Mottershead at 21:37 on 2011 Feb 26
HelloThere are valid arguements on both sides of the debate over the Daylight Savings Bill, but from what I have read and researched I can’t see any real benefits that will come out of this should the Bill be passed. I feel that overall the change as proposed would be detrimental – not just for astronomers, but in other areas as well. I am opposed to the Bill and have already written to my MP about this, and I would hope that the BAA is also opposing the Daylight Savings Bill.
Posted by TonyAngel at 17:39 on 2011 Feb 26
Thank you Steve. Like you say a weak response. It would be interesting to have the views of a "real" Planetary Scientist 🙂
Posted by TonyAngel at 23:29 on 2011 Feb 25
Hi Nick,Thanks. I had not realised that it was that long ago! Being at approx 3.25 degrees West and on CET I do find that it does not affect me, but there again being 15 degrees south of London the difference between winter and summer daylight hours are not as extreme. One advantage is that during the midst of winter I have been able to do a couple of hours observing in the morning when the sky is at it best. In my previous post I am suggesting that the main effect will be a reduction on Public Outreach activities.
Posted by Nick James at 22:54 on 2011 Feb 25
Tony,It was 16 years ago at the meeting of 1995 February (JBAA 105/4, 1995 Aug). I remember it well and I’m quoted in the report as well. I recall that the speaker sort of implied that anyone opposed to the change was guilty of manslaughter. I remember shouting "shame" from the back of the lecture hall. That doesn’t happen often at BAA meetings!We’ve been discussing this Parliamentary Bill on the BAA Council and, as David knows, I’m in the "I think we have bigger things to worry about" camp. I don’t think there is much evidence as to how it will affect amateur astronomers and you can make arguments both ways.I’m personally in favour of the change.Nick.
Posted by TonyAngel at 17:07 on 2011 Feb 25
Was this programme a rip off? I was doing some searches and found that there is an episode of the TV Series The Universe 402"The Day the Moon Was Gone"August 25, 2009A look at the importance of our moon and what the Earth would be like without one, such as a four hours of sunlight, pitch-black nights, 100 MPH winds spawning massive hurricanes, wild fluctuating climate changes as the planet topples on its axis, and the end of complex life forms including humans.I think a friend has the DVD set. I will ask to see it and compare.
Posted by Steve Holmes2 at 15:34 on 2011 Feb 25
Aha! I hadn’t realised this thread was going to turn into a debugging session as well as a moan at the BBC! Ah well – it’s an ill wind ….So, here at last is the text file giving my complaint and the BBC’s initial reply. Enjoy![N.B. Probably better to download and read offline in MSWord or something as it’s not page-formatted for word-wrap etc.] [file name=BBC_Complaint.txt size=5711]/images_old/fbfiles/files/BBC_Complaint.txt[/file]
Posted by Callum Potter at 14:52 on 2011 Feb 25
My bad…I had not enabled File uploads for members (in my testing it was working because i am an administrator). I have tested with a members level login now, and below the image file upload, you should now see a file upload field.Sorry for the confusion (i certainly was!).Cheers, Callum
