How to check Binocular variable star measurements

[melsmore]

I'm on holiday with 10x50 bins on a tripod, so thought I'd try my hand at taking some variable star measurements. I had some trouble with the estimates which I think I was due to being thrown by averted vision. I've tried checking them on the BAA VSS and AAVSO websites. (http://www.britastro.org/vssdb/data.php and https://www.aavso.org/lcg)

B50x10 Tripod - Bolsena, Italy
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26/09/2016 20:58 UTC V465 Cas BAA Chart 233.01 C1V2A 6.4  .. looks bad as AAVSO has 6.5,6.6,6.7 for that day.
27/09/2016 20:21 UTC GO Peg BAA Chart 103.01 C1V1D 7.5 .. looks bad as AAVSO has 7.3 for that day. 
29/09/2016 19:55 UTC RZ Cas BAA Chart 236.01 A1V3B 6.2 .. Woo-Hoo, looks right, as not in eclipse!
29/09/2016 20:47 UTC IQ Per BAA Chart 246.01 D1V2E 7.4 .. looks bad as should be in the range 7.7 to 8.7

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to validate my estimates or why them may be wrong? Should I try photographing them at the same time with a DSLR?

[JeremyS]

If these are your first estimates, I don't think you've done badly at all!

Some of these are red stars and different observers have different responses to red, so there will be some scatter. This is taken into account when the combined data are analysed.

I do hope you will continue to observe variable stars. After a while they will become "your own" and you will be wondering what they're up to.

Have you considered joining the BAA Variable Star Section? Speaking as a member, your results would be appreciated.

All the best,

Jeremy

[DHEB]

Hi @melsmore, I agree with @JeremyS that you are not that off at all. On the contrary, I would say you are doing very well. Keep estimating and reporting! Most of us humans are not very accurate and that there is a point on many observers participating on a program so observations can be averaged. This is because the average of a large number of different observations will smooth out all individual inaccuracies and bias.

Cheers!

[melsmore]

Thank you @Cino Sauces and @JeremyS for the words of encouragement. I will certainly continue with Variable Star observations and will join the BAA VSS. I am already a BAA member.