[vsnet-chat 7507] Re: CSS nomenclature

[Taichi Kato]

   I've just found (by chance!) that the Pdot paper has been issued
electronically and become accessible (link error? perhaps this will
soon be fixed)

http://pasj.asj.or.jp/v61/v61sp2.html
"Survey of Period Variations of Superhumps in SU UMa-Type Dwarf Novae"
Publ. Astron. Soc. Japan 61, pp.S395-S616 (2009)

   Just see how the CSS transients and CRTS discoveries are described,
and see whether Djorgovski's claim ("he cites only himself for our sources  
which he has renamed, and does not cite the original discovery.  He  
has completely rejected our requests to correct things") can be confirmed.
This is PASJ's decision.  I prepared a version heading with CSS...
titles, but the PASJ editorial (after deliberate consideration)
did not accept the CSS-named version.  I understand that some of the
editorial board and consultant are well familiar with the IAU convention
and running a CDS mirror.  They proposed if the CSS names follow
acronym (space) sequence/coordinates (space) (specifier) having a specifier
as a date (e.g. CSS J123456+123456 (091231)) they would be acceptable.
(The acronym CSS probably needs to be changed in order to avoid
a conflict with earlier catalogs).  The PASJ interpreted that
the CSS IDs in their original form are best regarded as internal names.

> Simbad usage is simply wrong,

   I couldn't find this example.  Could you please introduce a page
showing this?

> This by the way, is an egregious example of the IAU  
> bureaucratic mind at work - who the hell needs that J?  What useful  
> purpose does it serve?  But that is another rant.

   This is also one of a few points I proposed to the CRTS team.
This is astronomical convention.  The coordinates without B or J
stands for B1950.0.  Whatever inelegant it might look, we can't rename
"R And" to "V1 And".  We need to be respectful of tradition, too.

   But - a novice question - what "the international intellectual property
law" applies to?  An invention of a non-traditional naming scheme?
Anyone can create such a system (and it should be equally protected
once it is created?) and can bother and challenge the busy people at
IAU or CDS.  I regard it a respectful tradition to avoid such circumstances.
Tradition is not always documented and not always logical, but you
had better learn and follow it.