Visual Method Statistics.

Evans is the best example of visual supernova hunter. His succeful program with backyard telescopes began in 1980 and still continues, although he also hunts visually with a one meter telescope at Siding Spring Obs., Australia, and on Schmidt plates exposed by astronomers. Bob usually makes 10.000 to 15.000 visual observations yearly on a program of some 1.000 bright and close galaxies. Concerning his backyard search, his supernova discoveries are located mostly in bright (magn. 10 to 13) galaxies, easily seen with telescopes larger than 25cm (graph n. 1). Most of his discoveries are bright supernovae in the 13-14 magn. range (graph n.2). Bob is a master of efficiency during his observations. He spends no more than 30 seconds on each galaxy and he has memorized background fields around his galaxies. His success is also in part due, at least during the '80s, to a lack of competition on southern galaxies. As a comparison with similar visual programs see also Pesci and Mazza statistics and Wren's web pages(external link). Graph n.1 Graph n.2