On Oct 9, 2007, at 9:02 AM, Ed Shaya wrote:
> Found 2 biggies. There is extended_sources but not:
> sources
> point_sources alt unresolved_sources.
We're losing ever more clarity. I thought this was to be a list of astronomical (i.e., physical) objects and processes, not any and all terms of empirical artifice. The same star may or may not be a point source, depending only on the technology and point of view.
> Trouble already. Rob Olling, is in my office, and he insists that
> L_dwarfs and T_dwarfs are simply not stars. These are brown_dwarfs
> which are not stars. For the sake of simplicity, I can see leaving
> such things as stars; including neutron stars, white dwarfs etc.
> But, is this going to be acceptable to the IAU? The argument is
> beginning to filter out into the hallway.
Yes, yes - and Jupiter orbiting a brown dwarf would no longer be a planet. A non-planet orbiting a non-star - certainly worthy of publication, but likely not as a "sky transient event". These are all delightful discussions for Watson and Crick's favorite table at the Eagle. I doubt they'll win anybody a Nobel Prize™.
Any of Rick's previous vocabularies would have been useful for VOEvent purposes. I doubt we'll have much need to report assertions of set theory for follow-up observation.
I suggest again - let's start with the minimum list(s) needed to get the ball rolling and to support the utilitarian pursuit of astronomical science. By starting with the verbatim IAU Thesaurus we avoid all issues of nuance and politics, we demonstrate proper respect for earlier efforts, and we position IVOA as a natural standard bearer to enhance the vocabularies. Rather than adding to the Thesaurus, perhaps we should be considering renorming it into separate sub-vocabularies. This will clarify the missing pieces (e.g., GRBs) needed for pragmatic transient reporting and classification.
I see Brian is agreeing with me - this is surely one of the warning signs of the approaching apocalypse. Let me put it this way - I would prefer a minimal ontology to an overstuffed vocabulary list.
Rob Received on 2007-10-09Z18:49:21