What is AVSpec?
The AAVSO Spectroscopic* Database (AVSpec) is where citizen scientists ("observers") worldwide share their spectra with professional astronomers who use these data in their publications. All data submitted are subjected to quality control processes conducted by AAVSO staff members. If data do not meet the accuracy standards, AAVSO staff work with the applicable observers to improve their data collection and analysis efforts.
Crucial data can be observed and uploaded to the databases with and without high-tech equipment. The more accurate data submitted by individuals across the globe, the better!
Getting Started
AAVSO's educational materials and resources teach you to collect spectra with the equipment that is right for you. We recommend beginning with the below videos and manuals, and then joining our AVSpec Open House Zoom meetings to ask questions about submitting quality spectra.
For simple slitless gratings:
- Tom Field’s Intro to Spectroscopy gives a friendly introduction to the field, all the way from the basics of how a grating works to how to measure redshift.
- No tracking mount? No problem! AAVSO's How-To Hour: Spectrography on a Budget is a tutorial on how to record spectra using the drift scanning method, which works even with dobsonian telescopes.
For slit spectrographs:
- If you have not quite figured out what sort of spectrograph would be best for you and your telescope, Francois Cochard’s presentation Spectroscopy: Which Hardware for Which Observations? will help you decide.
- Once you are ready to start observing, New to Spectroscopy? A few tips to start successfully provides advice from one of the best spectroscopists around.
- Have you ever wished that there was a manual for spectroscopy? You are in luck! The AAVSO Guide to Getting Started in Spectroscopy covers everything from setting up your spectrograph for the first time to calibrating your results.
For additional resources, consult the AAVSO Spectroscopy Observing Section homepage. Personalized help from an experienced spectroscopist is available to AAVSO members via our Mentor Program.
Choosing a Target
AVSpec welcomes the spectra of any variable star, although sometimes researchers need data on specific stars to advance their research. Below are a few such variable stars:
Polaris: A Cepheid with X-ray flashes. Although it has displayed some bizarre and fascinating behavior over the past century, it is too bright for most professional observatories to monitor.
V725 Sgr: A unique star which appears to be in the middle of changing its spectral class. John Percy’s 2020 paper, “V725 Sagittarii: Unique, Important, Neglected,” provides scientific details and reasons for this star to be closely monitored.
Cygnus X-1: A microquasar with variable hydrogen and helium emission. This extreme target has been overlooked so far, with no spectra in AVSpec as of late 2022—maybe yours can be the first.
R Gem: A Mira of spectral class S. Its bands of zirconium oxide and titanium oxide are visible at any resolution, and the shockwaves from its pulsation spark variable hydrogen emission lines.
For other stars to observe, check out the target lists near the bottom of the AAVSO Spectroscopy Observing Section page.
Submitting Data
When you are ready to begin submitting spectra:
- Create a free AAVSO web account if you do not have one.
- Log into your account and request an observer code if you do not have one.
- Upload your spectrum using the submission form.
If you run into trouble, review AVSpec’s help page.
Questions? Please send us an email at avspec@aavso.org
* Spectroscopy is the study of electromagnetic radiation wavelengths, each of which is emitted by an object or produced through an object’s interaction with other matter. In spectroscopy, a spectrum is a range of light separated into different wavelengths, each which projects a unique brightness.