Thanks, Joe. Novae used to be discovered by "blinking". Two photographs of the same region would be taken, days, weeks, or months apart, and the researcher would compare the two by looking at each in rapid succession on a device called a "blink comparator". Any star seen on one but not the earlier photograph would appear to blink on-and-off. It would be an easy, straightforward project to do the same thing on the computer, with digital images. Amateurs can easily discover novae, even today. One popular low-tech approach from another decade was the projection comparator. Two identical slide projectors with a motorized, rotating shutter in front of the lenses, so that only one slide at a time was projected. This was the "astronomy club" method. Also easier on the eyes than staring into a bino or mono viewer for extended periods of time. I'm still not getting my own posts so thanks for letting me know that it came through, Joe. --- Joe Bauman <bau@desnews.com> wrote:
Got your note, Chuck, and congrats on the sighting!
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