new observers

Julian Date Calendars

AAVSO produced JD Calendars give the last four digits of the Julian Day for each day of every month for a year. The months January-June are on one page while July–December are on the second page. For the complete JD, add 2,450,000 (or 2,460,000 after February 23, 2023) to the four digit value given in the calendar for the Astronomical Day of your observation.

Click on a year in the left column to download a 2-page .pdf version of the calendar for that year. The calendar for 2024 is shown below. Click on the image below to get a bigger version. 

Stars Easy to Observe

The following is a list of stars that are relatively easy to locate and observe visually with either small to mid-sized telescopes or binoculars. All are great stars for beginning observers and have impressive historical light curves to which your contributions are always welcome! The letters under "Suggested Charts" indicate the recommended 'scales' of charts used to observe these stars. Use the Variable Star Plotter (VSP) to create your own charts.