Re: Target zone selection

[<aah@nofs.navy.mil>]

Tom suggested following one field for ~6hrs or more by
combining sites.  I've had quite a bit of experience
with this from coordinating the efforts of amateur CCD
observers of eclipsing binaries, etc.  Bottom line is
that it is very difficult.  Any given spot is cloudy
1/3 or more of the time; when you count in equipment
problems, moon constraints, and home schedules, it is
rare to get everyone on the same page.  I think it would
be a better exercise to replace the Mark IV mount with
something that can cover the entire sky, and follow the
field from a single site as long as possible, and then
at most combine the data from one or two additional
observers at 120 degree longitude points.
  You've also seen the problems in combining data from
various Mark III sites.  I'd rather see one site concentrate on
some field or declination strip and not combine data.
We'll see how it all sorts out.  Note, for example, that
you can cover ~15 degrees around the North Celestial Pole
all night long from any given site even with the current
mount; you might consider limiting your survey to areas
of the sky like that if you want temporal coverage.
Arne