Teaching Stars to the Masses
The AAVSO offers a selection of resources that can be used both inside and outside the classroom to engage students and the public alike. This material focuses on stellar variables, with some general astronomy. If you are an educator, all of these resources are free for you to use. If you have found these resources helpful or would like to give us feedback on ways we can improve them, please Contact Us.
Learn the Basics of Variable Stars
Stars appear as monoliths of stability across time spans which are unfathomable when compared to human existence. Despite this, all stars change—some in dramatic fashion. The following links provide a conceptual understanding of these changes and their importance.
Understanding Variability: Variability comes in many flavors each with their own unique signature.
Variable Stars and the Stories They Tell. Why do we study variable stars and what can they teach us?
- Stellar Evolution
- The Cosmic Distance Ladder
- Exoplanets and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life
- Rotating Variables: Mapping the Surfaces of the Stars
Interested in information about a specific variable? Check out the Stellar Archives.
Past Workshops
Over the years the AAVSO has given both in person and online workshops on a variety of topics. A small subset of these have been well documented and available below.
CHOICE Course . . .
How To Write a Scientific Paper: Originally given in 2006, this bulk of this content holds true today and is an excellent starting point for an aspiring scientist.
Spectroscopy 2020 Workshop (Playlist): This offers a comprehensive guide on spectroscopy observing and data reduction.
Citizen Sky: Though Citizen Sky completed over a decade ago, there is a wealth of information available on pro-am collaborations.
Classroom & Curriculum Resources
Liven up your physics or astronomy curriculum with material on variable stars. We have a wide variety of resources available including an entire course on variable stars as well hands-on exercises in data analysis.
Variable Star Astronomy: This full multi-chapter guide on variable stars is complete with resources for both teachers and students.
Time Series Analysis (advanced): Learn the ins and outs of signal processing.
Data Analysis: A hands on guide for working with data.
Student Research & Projects
Students often are the most engaged in a subject when they can actually do science. Finding reasonable projects is often difficult, so we have collected some excellent ideas for beginners.
Observing Projects: Have a telescope and are unsure what to observe? Here are some ideas for collecting data suitable for a single night or a single semester.
Data Mining: No telescope? No problem. Here are some ways to immediately contribute while helping out the AAVSO and astronomical community.