re OBJECT keyword

[Malcolm Currie]

In article <Pine.GSO.3.95.980605125836.19151C-100000 at dr21.astro.uiuc.edu>, Helene Dickel <lanie at astro.uiuc.edu> writes:
To: fitsbits at fits.cv.nrao.edu

The use of the OBJECT keyword for IAU designations is laudable.
However, I agree with Steve Allen, that in practice it is unlikely to
work because of human nature.  There is also the precedent of OBJECT
being used for other information; this practice is going to be hard
to change.  Remember there are many astronomers still using B1950
co-ordinates and cgs units...

Yes it is frustrating to have a multiplicity of names and
abbreviations when you're searching an archive.  Sometimes it is
merely disorganisation, laziness, or ignorance of the observer;
sometimes it is to maximise the data collected as Steve says; but also
in some cases the obfuscation is deliberate.  To expect that the IAU
designation will be inserted by the astronomer during data reduction
sounds highly optimistic to me, and it's not going to address the
important problem of locating objects from telescope archives.

Adding another keyword may not work in many control systems, where the
data are archived immediately following the observation.  The correct
designation will rarely be entered after archival.  Many archives are
run on a shoestring and I doubt that there are the resources to edit
the headers of most observations.

IMHO the way ahead is education promulgated by the introduction of
observation-preparation tools, such as that of the Gemini Project and
space-based telescopes.  These demand that the targets be specified
_before_ observing commences, for example to avoid duplication.
Support scientists and software designers have a role in ensuring that
the target designations conform to IAU standards.  Astronomers need to
be assured that this is not some bureaucracy, and that it will
actually benefit them and improve telescope efficiency.  The full
designation should not adversely impact on observing efficiency given
graphical user interfaces and schedulers to select the next target.
Indeed preparation before observing has been shown to markedly improve
telescope efficiency.

To summarise:

I'd prefer to use keyword OBJECT, but from a pragmatic view I'd could
live with keyword IAUDESIG.

Let's get the correct designations online prior to observation.

Malcolm Currie
UKATC