AAVSO Web Page: www.aavso.org
| Variable stars have been a subject of great
interest since the beginnings of astronomy. Of course, only a few naked-eye variables were
known, and it was impossible to study them effectively in the early days. About a
hundred and fifty years ago, when the cost of telescopes had fallen to the point at which
many people could afford them, the serious study of variables began. With the advent of
photography and electronic detectors, measurement of these stars' changes could be
accurately quantified. Variable stars (including novae and eclipsing binaries) are the key to understanding many of the mysteries of the universe's makeup and history. They assist us in measuring the distance scale of the universe, and in beginning to understand the evolution of stars. The problem with variables is that there are so many of them. No professional astronomer, or observatory, could begin to keep track of them. This is where the amateur comes in. Amateurs track thousands of variables, making hundreds of thousands of brightness estimates each year. Even binocular observations are valuable. Some of the stars in the program are quite bright. These observations are collected and tabulated by the AAVSO. When professionals need historical data on a particular variable, they turn to the AAVSO. The AAVSO will teach you, provide you with charts, add your observations to their gigantic database and give you any other kind of encouragement or assistance you might need. Founded in 1911 by the director of Harvard College Observatory, E.C. Pickering, the AAVSO is the world's premier organization of its type. Check out their WWW site and try making a few observations for them. This is the easiest way to become involved in professional astronomical research. |