Participants in the AAVSO Community come from many walks of life, levels of experience and expertise, and with different astronomy-related goals. Everyone has in common a desire to know more, achieve their goals, and to make a difference. There are a lot of ways to get involved!
- If you are new and looking for starting targets
- If you are experienced and looking for targets
Be part of our community! You can be any or all of these: Member; Observer; Researcher; Student; Mentor; Supporter.
We have:
- Forums for discussion
- Resources for learning [LINK TO LEARNING PAGE]
- Software for data reduction and analysis—VPhot, VStar, and more
- Access to AAVSO databases containing observer-contributed data (including stellar photometry, stellar spectroscopy, exoplanet, solar)
- Access to remote telescope network for research (AAVSOnet) (membership benefit)
- Opportunities to participate in and/or contribute to research [Perhaps link to obs campaigns, depends on how the new research opps page is written]
- JAAVSO—peer-reviewed journal on variable stars and related subjects
- Meetings (in-person/remote) and Webinars
- Suggestions on how to find observing targets [LINK REQUIRED]
The AAVSO has something for you! Are you a professional astronomer? A student? An experienced amateur astronomer? A beginner? A combination of these or someone else entirely?
Professional Astronomer?
AAVSO offers resources for your research:
- Request data coverage of your targets through Observing Campaigns coordinated by AAVSO staff
- Global cadre of experienced observers who can acquire data—photometry, spectroscopy, exoplanets, solar
- Access to AAVSO databases containing observer-contributed data
- Access to remote telescope network for research (AAVSOnet) (membership benefit)
- Opportunities to present research at AAVSO Annual Meeting (in-person/remote)
- JAAVSO—peer-reviewed journal on variable stars and related subjects (no page charges for members)
Student?
We offer:
- Suggestions for projects
- Mentors (membership benefit)
- AAVSO data graphing and analysis software (VStar)
- Finder charts with comparison stars for variable stars
- Access to AAVSO databases containing observer-contributed data
- Opportunity to request data of your target(s) via an Observing Campaign
- Access to remote telescope network for research (AAVSOnet) (membership benefit)
- Opportunity to submit article for publication in our peer-reviewed journal, JAAVSO (no page charges for members)
Experienced Amateur Astronomer?
We offer opportunities to:
- Contribute to research via making observations
- Work on specific projects announced in Observing Campaigns and Alert Notices
- Learn or improve skills for data acquisition, reduction, and analysis [go to learn page]
- Special Interest Groups (SIGs)
- Utilize AAVSO software for photometry data reduction (VPhot) (membership benefit)
- Utilize AAVSO software for data graphing and analysis (VStar)
- Access to AAVSO databases containing observer-contributed data
- Access to remote telescope network for research (AAVSOnet) (membership benefit)
- Opportunities to present research at AAVSO Annual Meeting (in-person/remote)
- Opportunity to submit article for publication in our peer-reviewed journal, JAAVSO (no page charges for members)
Beginner?
We offer:
- Tutorials and manuals to help you learn how to make variable star observations [LINK TO LEARN PAGE]
- Mentors to help you get started (membership benefit)
- Online learning courses
- Resources and tools including finder charts with comparison stars
- Discussion forums to read, join in on, ask questions
- Suggestions for possible starting targets
- Observing Campaigns to contribute to
- Access to AAVSO databases containing observer-contributed data
- Peer-reviewed journal, JAAVSO—read and learn about variable stars and related research; opportunity to submit article for publication (no page charges for members)
None of these?
We offer:
- Education
- Special Interest Groups (SIGs)
- All of the above that interest you . . .