Affiliation
None
Wed, 10/29/2014 - 20:26
As things work now... I have to create an AAVSO report file, save it on my computer, and then send it to the AAVSO. Why not have a button that allows the data to be sent to the AAVSO directly from VPHOT once the VPHOT analysis is done? I can imagine a [Send to AAVSO] button that immediately sends the data to the AAVSO database. This would save a step in the submission process.
Thanks.
Bill Pellerin
Hi Bill,
I actually appreciate the very deliberate process required for sending in the report. It's like a speed bump. It makes me slow down and take a good look, just one more time, before submitting it.
I also like having a copy of the report on my own computer. I'm not sure how I might need it in the future, but for a hoarder such as myself I just know that if I don't keep it someday I'll need it.
Phil Sullivan
Yeah... I've made a
Hi Phil;
Yeah... I've made a few mistakes in the past. Fortunately the system allows you to delete or fix any data you submit.
We don't need a one-size-fits-all solution here. If VPHOT added a [Send to AAVSO] button they could continue to allow the creation of AAVSO report files on your computer if you want them or need them for some reason.
Right now, I usually submit multiple observations at a time. So, to make that easier I save the report from the first star I process, then add the reports from the subsequent stars to that file (without duplicating the header stuff), and submit that. It works, but it's a bit tedious (maybe I'm just lazy).
That said, the VPHOT system is remarkably good. I used to do this 'manually' with software on my computer and VPHOT is a substantial improvement. Kudos to all who work on it.
Bill,
You can run each of your reductions individually and save them to the Analysis Log by clicking on "save this" in the photometry eport page. Then when all your data is ready for a night or session, create one file with multiple observations. At this point there is a link out from the report page to "Submit data to WebObs", where you upload your file, check it and hit submit.
If you run a time series, the results are automatically saved in the analysis log, skipping a step.
See the VPHOT User Guide for more detailed instructions here:
http://www.aavso.org/download-vphot-user-guide-here
Mike Simonsen
AAVSO
Hi Mike;
Good to hear from you and thanks for your reply. The 'keep this' feature is very good, and an improvement over what I have been doing so far (manually combining [copy + paste] result lines from various reports into one file). I'll begin using this right away. Thanks for letting me know about it.
It still seems the shortest path for the user between the 'Single Image Photometry' page and getting the data into the AAVSO database would be a [Submit data to AAVSO] button. Why should the report file ever need to touch my computer (unless I want a copy for my own purposes)? My reality check for the data I submit is to look at the data of other observers and to see if my data is in the same ballpark. Maybe there's some technical reason (security or something) that makes instant submission impractical.
As a R Crb (type) observer you've probably been watching as R Crb rises to 8.4 magnitude or so. Dr. David Lambert at UTexas has written several papers on this star and observes this star as well, although with bigger telescopes with more capability. He assures me that he checks the AAVSO database before he schedules an observation to see what the star is doing. I'm looking forward to the day when R Crb is at 6th magnitude again.
I have new data from tonight. I'll submit it soon.
All the best. Hope to see you in Texas again sometime.
..Bill Pellerin