[BAA Comets] Comet Photometry

[Roger Dymock]

The MPC format is for reporting both astrometry and photometry (of asteroids and
comets). In recent times they have got quite hot on the accuracy of photometrc data.


Asteroid lightcurve data does use a different, ALCDEF, format - see
http://minorplanetcenter.net/light_curve

Agree on the need for a web interface to make life easier for the Director and anyone
else who wishes to access and analyse the data so, as mentioned, will investigate
COBS.

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 Shanklin, Jonathan D.
Sent: 17 September 2012 18:27
To: BAA Comets discussion list
Subject: Re: [BAA Comets] Comet Photometry

The MPC format is for reporting astrometry, and the magnitudes reported there are
approximate with no metadata.  If you report photometry different information is
required.  As an analogy you wouldn't report the position of a new variable star in
the same format that you submitted a magnitude estimate.

I agree it would be helpful to have only one format for reporting visual
observations, and would be quite happy if only the ICQ format was used (Roger didn't
mention many of the other formats - eg Morris, CBAT etc).  The BAA format is only
marginally different to the ICQ one, but many reports received don't quite match
either format and so need a lot of editing.  A decent web interface that allows quick
and simple input and thence transmission to the Director would be a great help.

Regards, Jon

Director Comet Section, British Astronomical Association
http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~jds


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