[BAA Comets] Comet Photometry

[Roger Dymock]

I guess most of us who make CCD obs of comets submit reports to the MPC in MPC format
because that is what programs such as Astrometrica give us. Such reports are
collected by Guy Hurst along with visual reports on behalf of the Comet Section.

What we don't want to have to do is retype MPC reports into ICQ format - too time
consuming and prone to errors. We have three formats for visual obs (BAA, TA, ICQ)
and we wouldn't want to go down that route for CCD obs would we. The ICQ CCD reports
are quite complex - the codes used run to nine pages. 

Perhaps some clever person could write a conversion program or it could be built into
the suggested on-line submission. Alternatively Herbert Raab might be persuaded to
offer the two alternatives in Astrometrica. 

On a positive note and to help out here I will sign on to COBS and see how easy, or
difficult, it is to use. If it satisfies our needs then we don't need to reinvent the
wheel and set up one of our own.

You have to wonder why the MPC and ICQ have different formats. If they had the same
then all astrometry/photometry software would have to follow suit.

The French on-line database at http://comet.observations.free.fr/index.php is worth a
look. 

Regards

Roger Dymock
Email: roger.dymock at ntlworld.com
Tel: 023 92647986
Skype: rjvdymock
MPC Observatory Code: 940

-----Original Message-----
From: comets-disc-bounces at britastro.org [mailto:comets-disc-bounces at britastro.org] On
Behalf Of denis buczynski
Sent: 16 September 2012 14:30
To: BAA Comets discussion list
Subject: [BAA Comets] Comet Photometry

Hello all,
During a recent email exchange with Jon Shanklin ( our Comet Section director) and
myself the 
following statement was made by Jon which may lead to our Section establishing a
standardised method 
of obtaining and reporting CCD comet photometry. Here are Jon's comments:

One point here is that no BAA CCD observers have sent in any magnitude reports using
the ICQ format 
for any comet.  This format is needed if I'm going to use the observations for
analysis.  There is 
therefore nothing that I can use to compare the different styles of observation.
This is a topic we 
could raise on the email discussion forum.The AAVSO all sky survey of stars 10 - 15
magnitude should 
provide an ideal source for magnitude references, both visual and CCD of fainter
comets.What I'd 
really like to see is a web interface for data submission so that all observers have
to do is type 
in what they've observed (ideally with lots of defaults pre set) and the script does
all the 
formatting.  I get the impression that few people use my admittedly rather dated
input program for 
comet observations, but it does output the exact format to use without me having to
edit.  I have a 
similar program for VS obs, and whilst the VS section has a spreadsheet, it is just
that - it isn't 
a data entry interface, which would need a visual basic front end.  My program
minimises the number 
of key strokes, which is an important consideration.


So here we have the basis for a discussion on this forum, which I hope all interested
parties will 
contribute to. Below are links some relevant pages, the first is a link to the ICQ
photometry 
information page :
http://www.icq.eps.harvard.edu/cometphot.html

The second is a link the ICQ reporting format page

http://www.icq.eps.harvard.edu/ICQFormat.html

The third is the newly established International Comet Database (COBS) organised by
the  Crni Vrh 
Observatory. Which states :

The new online Comet Observation Database (COBS) is unique service, offering comet
observers to 
submit, display and analyse comet data in a single location. It is maintained by the
Crni Vrh 
Observatory and is opened to comet observers worldwide. Registered observers may now
submit the 
observations using a simple web-based form which will store their observations into
an SQL database 
and display them in ICQ format. Furthermore the users will be able to create
light-curve graphs of a 
selected comets and see all the observations. We encourage comet observers worldwide
to submit their 
observations and contribute to the COBS database.

Observers are reminded that the ultimate address which is collecting and storing
comet data is 
International Comet Quarterly.

http://www.observatorij.org/cobs/

At present it seems that although individual observers submit comet astrometry
directly to the MPC 
and visual observations are collected by Jon/Guy at TA and subsequently submitted to
the ICQ there 
is
                                                                     NO CCD
PHOTOMETRY FROM THE BAA 
COMET SECTION BEING SUBMITTED TO THE ICQ (my emphasis in capitals)

Surely this is a situation we need to resolve for the long term. We need to decide
upon standard 
procedures for our CCD observers to follow to obtain reliable comet photometry and to
have the 
results submitted to the ICQ International Data Base.


My question to any resident experts is how do we go about this as a BAA Section?


Denis Buczynski


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