Re: About TASS

["Thomas F. Droege" <droege@fastmail.fm>]

Michael,

I think a key thing is to get a paper out.  Last year it was really take
another year of data or write a paper.  I chose to keep running since 3
years of data are a lot better than two.  Michael and I did get out
S&T10.  This could be edited into a paper.  If the group thinks the tass
data is worth preserving, then perhaps the *group* could take S&T10 and
turn it into a suitable paper to "guard" the data.  I think I do not
have the energy to do more than cheer on the effort and answer questions
etc..  With a paper, I think a home could be found.

Some thoughts:

1) Give the data to the AAVSO. Best done after my death since I am
pissed at them. The AAVSO is really the right place for this data.  The
quality is somewhat better than AAVSO data but not as good as
professional surveys done at good locations.

2) Give the data to ASAS to combine with there data for full coverage. 

Tom Droege

On Sat, 15 Apr 2006 12:56:18 -0500, "Michael Koppelman"
<lolife@bitstream.net> said:
> Let me just say, Tom, that sucks. None of us live forever but your  
> attitude is admirable.
> 
> I think there are a few options for continuation. In regards to data  
> preservation, although an informal arrangement may work for a while,  
> in order for the data to be useful in a century, we have to:
> 
> 1. Work on the data and publish it all.
> or
> 2. Make the data available via NVO or VizieR or whatever in perpetuity.
> 
> We should really do both.
> 
> In regards to future operations, I think you'll have many volunteers  
> to take a system. How data acquisition is performed in the future is  
> unlikely to be cohesive, though, unless someone "takes the reigns". I  
> think a distributed northern-sky multi-color survey is a grand idea.  
> You run identical systems and programs at 3 or 4 locations and  
> integrate the data into a single on-going survey. It could work but  
> its a lot of work (as you know!).
> 
> Michael Koppelman
> http://www.lolife.com/astronomy/
> 
> On Apr 14, 2006, at 4:25 PM, Thomas F. Droege wrote:
> 
> > I have had cancer since 1998.  It has now progressed to the point  
> > that I
> > don't have the energy to climb up on the roof and run the survey.  One
> > does not get a straight answer when one asks "when" but I think it is
> > months not years now.  The last PSA was 1035 and the previous month it
> > was 700.  Those of a computational bent can compute when I will be  
> > 100%
> > tumor.
> >
> > Death is a natural progression of life and I don't see this as  
> > anything
> > special.  I have had a full life and lots of fun.  There are no  
> > regrets
> > and I am at peace about it.
> >
> > This brings up some questions.
> >
> > What to do with TASS?
> >
> > What to do with the data?
> >
> > What to do with all this stuff that will go in the ash can if I don't
> > give it directly to someone?
> >
> > Possibly we can discuss this here over the next few weeks.
> > -- 
> >   Thomas F. Droege
> >   droege@fastmail.fm
> >
> 
-- 
  Thomas F. Droege
  droege@fastmail.fm