Prague, August 16, 2006
To start a
new GCVS edition (presumably an electronic one), combining the stars of the GCVS IV and Name Lists (and maybe eventually merged with automatic-survey variables), we need to revise the GCVS classification system.
We get conflicting signals from the community concerning the directions of this revision:
∙═Experts in particular
variable-star classes ask to introduce many new types reflecting new knowledge;
∙═people interested in stellar
variability in general tell us we have too many types, different to understand and keep in memory.
∙
Our approach: the classification scheme must be
simplified, more detailed
classification should be given in specialized catalogs for particular types, but the GCVS classification should take into
account new astrophysics.