[BAA Comets] Comet Section Programmes

[denis buczynski]

Hello All,
I have read with interest the comments on future Comet Section Programmes and collaborations and 
wonder if we need to firstly address the programmes which are currently being offered to Section 
members. There seems to be a four areas of observational activity within the Section, these being:
a) Visual observations for magnitude determination.
b) CCD observations, mainly for astrometric determinations.
c)Searching for new comets visually and by electronic imaging.
d)Searching spacecraft images for new Sun grazing comets.

My comments on these programmes are offered below

The visual observations are handled by Jon Shanklin who utilises the observations made by Section 
members and combines these with observations submitted to TA (Guy Hurst) and he presumably utilises 
observations send personally to him from observers around the world, to derive light curve analysis. 
Where these are published, other than in The Comet Tale (and occasionally in the JBAA as part of the 
annual review of Comets) is unknown to me as they are not publicised nor are there links to papers 
containing members work. Such an approach is taken in other Sections such as VSS where individual 
observers are credited as multiple authors in papers produced from analysis of their observations. 
Whilst there may be a dislike amongst some for using the multi author approach in scientific 
publications, it does offer the advantage that individual effort is acknowledged and it provides 
encouragement for observers to submit future work. There is much more that could be done to 
encourage our Section members and to recruit more and new observers. I am a big believer in the "pat 
on the back" and the team approach.The encouragement that flows from published work can only be 
beneficial to our Section.

CCD observers are probably the most active in our Section. Yet to my knowledge no scientific data is 
derived from CCD images submitted to the Section. Individual observers do make astrometric 
determinations from their own observations and some submit these to the MPC to be included in the 
world wide effort to produce observations to enable orbit determination. Other than that individual 
effort there is no programme running in the Section to utilise the CCD images for magnitude 
determination, which is the other main and obvious parameter which could be derived from the CCD 
images, other than astrometric data. We should consider if it might be worthwhile submitting data 
derived from the astrometric observations to Mark Kidger for inclusion in his Spanish group. They 
use CCD magnitude determinations to gather data to produce papers which derive dust production rates 
for individual comets. As Mark has suggested in the past this method is a simple way of making good 
use of data which is obtained by observers who use Astrometrica to reduce their CCD images. There is 
a different approach used by the Italian CARA group which requires observers to use specific filters 
and star catalogues to image comets for dust production rates to be established. This could also be 
considered by our Section as a collaborative programme to which we could contribute. We need to do 
more than just publish observers CCD images of comets on the BAA Gallery. Another programme which 
has been mentioned is the T3 project run by Lucca Buzzi  in Italy and is supported by many observers 
around the world. The idea behind the programme is to image asteroid like objects to see if there is 
any evidence of cometary activity. There has been some good successes had by this group in the past 
few years and it is again something that our more experienced observers/imagers my want to attempt. 
It must be appreciated that the general observing conditions experienced in the UK may not be the 
conducive to guaranteeing success in this programme as the required high resolution imaging needs 
good seeing conditions. Alongside this the long cloudy spells which we endure mitigate against long 
term monitoring. However there are opportunities for observers to contribute to this programme by 
using overseas robotic telescopes. Some of our Section members have regular access to these 
instruments situated at premier observing sites around the world.The Section could coordinate 
observations via the BAA robotic telescope programme to allow us to collaborate in the T3 project.

Searching for new comets is an area which only a few members are taking part. Only two that I know 
(in the UK) search visually and one via CCD imaging. The search for new comets is a passion that is 
usually reserved for those who tread their own path and may not be a programme that could or should 
be organised by the Section, but should be left to the ingenuity of those individuals driven by that 
desire. I cannot foresee a situation where we are operating a visual search programme where specific 
sections of sky  are allocated to individual observers. Nor can I see us acting like the Skelnate 
Pleso Observatory of the 1950's who took turns to man/female large binoculars in a coordinated sweep 
of the dawn skies for new comets. The search for new comets via CCD imaging offers a real prospects 
of discovery as was demonstrated last year. Firstly all CCD images taken for any purpose should be 
intensely scrutinised by observers for any evidence of comet images. There is a chance that an 
unknown comet may have brightened by means of an outburst, such as happened when Justine Rinner ( 
the French observer) discovered a new comet on her CCD images taken for another purpose last year. 
Secondly there is the outstanding example of Terry Lovejoy who systematically searches for new 
comets using wide angle camera lenses and CCD cameras in Australia. His search proved exceedingly 
fruitful when he discovered his famous Kruetz sun grazing comet last year. He has also discovered 
other, more regular comets using this method. A read of Martin Mobberley's book on comet discoveries 
will provide the observer with all the detail necessary to start such a search. We should encourage 
members who attempt these searches and applaud them for making that special effort. Any search 
programmes such as these may well be successful thereby ending that long barren spell of there being 
no discoveries from the UK for 30 years.

Searching for comets using spacecraft data seems to be a very competitive pursuit and is like the 
programme above probably more suitable to an individual, especially someone who technically astute 
and knows how to process the incoming imagery to maximise their success rates. Many hundreds of 
comets have been discovered by amateurs using incoming spacecraft data. I know that Jon Shanklin has 
discovered at least one new comet in this way and that Micheal Oates in Manchester was the leading 
discoverer at one point in time. It would be good if there was a way of the Section promoting this 
type of search and and despite my comment above there may be a way of utilising a team approach.

In conclusion I would like to make the point that it would be good to make our existing programmes 
more efficient and responsive. For us to publicise the work of observers more regularly. To extract 
more from the observations we receive today and to offer our members a website alongside this forum 
that is interactive and is our shop window. Perhaps other interested observers may be tempted to 
join in our activities.For us to be thinking of introducing new programmes at this time may just 
dilute what we are already have on offer. We just need to make more of what we do and we need to 
publish more of what we do.

Sorry for choosing the verbose route in penning this note!
Denis