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Re: (meteorobs) Automated video detection of meteors or why the heckam I out...
Actually amateur observations are unsung but play a significant role in
the use of the expensive "super instruments" like Hubble. The program
I'm most familiar with is the collaboration between the AAVSO and the
EUVE science team. The AAVSO coordinates amateur astronomers looking
for stellar outbursts. EUVE is a space based ultraviolet astronomy
mission. (I wrote the instrument flight software.) AAVSO alerts are
used to then slew the EUVE to observe unusual stellar activity.
The powerful instruments typically have a narrow field of view. With
hundreds of amateurs, all over the world, you can cover large areas of
the sky around the clock. There is no way to get that coverage
otherwise. When something interesting is observed you "bring in the big
guns" to do the detailed science observations.
So keep your eyes on the sky!
GeoZay@aol.com wrote:
> No it doesn't stop one from looking at Saturn with their 4" DOB, but compared
> to Keck 1 and II and HST etc, how much usefulness do you think any of your
> data is gonna be with advanced equipment like that around? The viewing maybe
> enjoyable, but any significant contributions looking at Saturn with a 4"
> scope would probably be close to nil or none.
> GeoZay
--
Will Marchant
kc6rol@amsat.org http://www.citizen.infidot net/~wmarchan/
marchant@ssldot berkeleydot edu http://chips.ssldot berkeleydot edu/
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