#535: added Gaia G

[dbenn]

Hi @mpyat2, please review this small change

[mpyat2]

Hi @dbenn ,
In the Gaia DR2/DR3 observation source plug-in, the Gaia G series is defined somewhat differently, along with the Gaia BP and RP ones. I propose adding the definitions for Gaia BP and RP to SeriesType.java, which would then allow me to remove the Gaia band definitions from the plug-in. Thought?

[dbenn]

Hi @mpyat2. That makes sense to me. If there's one Gaia band in SeriesType, they probably all should be. I'm only hesitating because:

• I'm trying to understand why AAVSO are only officially supporting Gaia G right now vs the other two, e.g. is there something about their status that's different?
• I've emailed @bpablo-aavso to ask about this too. Bert you may wish to respond in this issue instead.
• We're mixing code that would normally only be in a plugin vs core VStar code.

But on balance, I like your suggestion and it seems fair.

[bpablo]

Hello David,

When we talk about bands that we support, this tends to be only bands that could actually be taken by a ground-based telescope and put into the AID by an individual. The GAIA bandpasses are all custom and are only used by GAIA. When we added GAIA G it was at the request of someone using a space based telescope who was transforming to GAIA G because it was a much closer match to the actual bandpass than any of the Johnson or Sloan filters. It is highly unlikely this will ever be the case for the other GAIA filters, which is why we haven't added them. Does this make sense?

[dbenn]

That does make sense @bpablo-aavso, yes. Thanks.

@mpyat2, are you satisfied with Bert's explanation? It seems that we're saying that the other two bands should stay in the plugin code.

My spacecraft tab may not be necessary if there's only one band. @bpablo-aavso, would the Color tab make sense for this?

[mpyat2]

Hi @bpablo ,

I'm slightly confused. AID is a database that mostly collects observations carried out by amateurs. How can they use the Gaia G band?
Well, if someone transforms their observations into the Gaia G band, it could make sense. Up to now I saw the opposite: transformation from the Gaia G band to 'traditional' ones, however, "there are more things in heaven and earth..."

[dbenn]

Thanks for your explanation @bpablo-aavso. @mpyat2's confusion is understandable. His comment has me wondering about this now as well. If the person who was using spacecraft data was transforming to Gaia G, does that mean he was submitting observations taken by a spacecraft (not Gaia perhaps, but some other spacecraft)?

[dbenn]

Also, do we have any data in AID with Gaia G data @bpablo-aavso? I'd like to test my changes with that.

[dbenn]

@mpyat2, @bpablo-aavso we don't seem to be moving along with this one much, but having thought a bit more, I'm thinking that for whatever reason, since Gaia G ended up in the list of supported VSX/AID bands, adding anything other than the supported bands to the SeriesType.java, after:

// ** Auto-generated bands from aid.bands start here **

may not be a good idea. So @mpyat2 I'm thinking that the two options right now for the plugin are:

• use the newly added Gaia G in SeriesType.java band in the Gaia plugin but for the other two Gaia bands, use the one already existing in the plugin, or
• don't change the plugin at all, keeping the 3 Gaia bands in it, even if it may be defined differently from the one in SeriesType.java.

Thoughts?

[mpyat2]

Hi @dbenn
I'll remove Gaia G from the plug-in at the next step.