BeSS 10 years statistics

As weather is not cooperating for several weeks now, I took the time to look at BeSS database. I focused on high resolution (R>5000) spectra as this seems to me the top BeSS priority. I also selected Halpha (6562-6563A domain) spectra as this also seems the top priority to me - even if multiple order echelle spectra counting is better for me! :-)

2017 has been the best year ever with close to 1900 spectra acquired that year, 50 more than the record year of 2013 and significantly better than the average of the last five years.

Note that while BeSS database has been up and running since 2007, Christian Buil has data acquired before that time so the acquisition year start back in 1999. Joan Guarro Flo is helped by a very good weather and a very good focus on Be stars. I have done my best year in 2017 with the help of the mount refurbishment and some work on my overall observing efficiency, my photon time increasing from 60% of the dome open time to more than 85% now.

Here is the details for the all-time top 10 observers:

We can say that an amateur observer focused on Be stars should be able to acquired 500-600 spectra per year. Top 10 observers, on their individual record year, have acquired in average 250 Be star spectra. If I look at their 3 best years, they average 200 spectra per year.


Cumulated, we all together crossed last year the 15000 spectra milestone: