Discovery by accident

rumples riot · #1 18-09-2005, 11:35 PM

Hey as it turns out I shot a variable v1118Ori flaring up in my Orion shot. It has been reported here.

http://www.sasi.net.au/varstar_0507.html

Funny thing is I had no idea, just happened to make the shots on the night that it flared.

This accounts for why my shot was published once again in Sky and Space. This goes to show that accidents can sometimes bring good fortune.

asimov (John) · #2 18-09-2005, 11:43 PM

Hey, Good one rumples!

astroron (Ron) · #3 18-09-2005, 11:51 PM

All you astrophotographers should check their images against other images if possible for possible supernova in galaxies, comets, asteroids or other objects in other images, you never no your luck at what you may find.astroron

square_peg114GT · #4 19-09-2005, 03:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by astroron

All you astrophotographers should check their images against other images if possible for possible supernova in galaxies, comets, asteroids or other objects in other images, you never no your luck at what you may find.astroron

Is there software that will do that? Lots of little points to compare. A set of digital eyes would sure help.

davidpretorius · #5 19-09-2005, 03:41 AM

well done Paul!!

Robby · #6 19-09-2005, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by square_peg114GT

Is there software that will do that? Lots of little points to compare. A set of digital eyes would sure help.

Yes there is, but here's the paradox... If a piece of software "finds" the supernova then who gets the credit for the discovery???

1. The person who took the image.
2. The software writter whose software found the discrepency in the image.
3. The PC the software is running on?
4. Microsoft (or other) for creating an operating system that made writting software easy so that 2 could actually make it happen.
5. All of the above.... That would make naming interesting

Cheers

ving (David) · #7 19-09-2005, 10:13 AM

great one

do you get to name it?

Greg Bryant · #8 19-09-2005, 05:17 PM

Robby,

With the giant asteroid/comet surveys, naming rights are an issue. All of the comets discovered during the course of the LINEAR survey are named "LINEAR". With other surveys, sometimes they are named for the "survey", and sometimes for the astronomer who actually noticed the "new object".

There have been some cases in recent years where comets have been named, by the IAU-appointed committee, for the survey even though the astronomer claimed he had the "right" to have the comet named after them - on the basis that the discovery circumstances of that particular comet were different to the other comets that have been detected by the survey.

Sometimes the naming committee agrees with the astronomer when the discovery is reported, other times...no.

Striker (Tony) · #9 19-09-2005, 05:25 PM

Striker is a good name.....lol

Paul well done mate.

jdb · #10 19-09-2005, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by square_peg114GT

Is there software that will do that? Lots of little points to compare. A set of digital eyes would sure help.

Blink Comparator will do it (Tombaugh would be impressed!!!)...

http://www.crysania.co.uk/trefach/trefach_astronomy.pl

Follow the Astronomy leaf to software, then download -> Blink-Comparator-Setup.Exe

rumples riot · #11 19-09-2005, 07:09 PM

Ving, no I don't get to name it. This variable brightened last in 1997. But I am more stoked that my image has been mentioned internationally and nationally. This goes to show us amateurs can inadvertently help the pros.

atalas · #12 19-09-2005, 07:32 PM

Onya Paul !

Louie

RAJAH235 · #13 19-09-2005, 09:04 PM

Blink Comparator is beta only at present. Did not load/work adequately on my comp., so I killed it.
Will just use Firefox tabs instead, like I normally do. Works fine as comparator.

L.

beren · #14 19-09-2005, 09:28 PM

Top catch , well done

gaa_ian (Ian) · #15 19-09-2005, 09:49 PM

Good Onya Paul, good catch! .... I must admit I have not got into the variable star viewing yet.
To busy feasting on DSO's

rumples riot · #16 19-09-2005, 09:54 PM

I did some variable stuff years ago when I was a member of Brisbane Astro Society. But this was quite by accident. I had not intended or even knew that there was a variable in that cluster. I do now and it will be interesting to take the same image again this year just for comparison.

jdb · #17 20-09-2005, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RAJAH235

Blink Comparator is beta only at present. Did not load/work adequately on my comp., so I killed it.
Will just use Firefox tabs instead, like I normally do. Works fine as comparator.

L.

Indeed - but the question was is there a program that does it for you...

The programs seems to work fine here...Version 0.1.2 Build 40 (Beta), perhaps you had an earlier version?

Do you know of any similar programs?

With the amount of images you guys are taking, there could be some good science to come out of comparing them...and more 'rumples type' serendipity.

RAJAH235 · #18 20-09-2005, 07:50 PM

Hi jdb, No, I know of no other prog. It just didn't display fully. 1/2 the toolbar was missing, so I had no buttons to push. But as I said I will just use Firefox & switch between tabs.
Nice catch BTW Paul. Well done...

Mick (Michael) · #19 20-09-2005, 08:47 PM

Great photo Paul, it's nice to have captured something like that in one of your own images.