The Journal of the American Association of Variable Star Observers (ISSN 0271-9053 (print); ISSN 2380-3606 (online)) is the peer-reviewed research publication of the AAVSO dedicated to variable star astronomy and related scholarly topics across a range of disciplines. Launched in 1972 and published twice a year, JAAVSO contains scholarly research articles submitted by members of the AAVSO community on a wide range of topics relevant to the AAVSO and variable star astronomy. JAAVSO is also the primary publication for papers and abstracts presented at AAVSO meetings. JAAVSO is a refereed publication, open to any and all amateur and professional members of the variable star research and observation community, as well as related scholarly groups such as computer and information scientists, historians, and educators.
Examples of topics published in JAAVSO include:
- Previously unpublished observational results on one or more variable objects (including stars, the Sun, supernovae, gamma-ray bursts, and active galaxies)
- New astrophysical or statistical analyses of existing data archives, including data from the AAVSO International Database and the AAVSO Solar Section sunspot count archives
- Quantitative descriptions of new observing techniques, including surveys, multi-site campaigns, and new or novel instrumentation or analysis techniques
- Education research articles relevant to variable star astronomy and the AAVSO
- Historical articles related to variable star observing and science relevant to the AAVSO
With the exception of abstracts of papers presented at AAVSO meetings, papers submitted to JAAVSO are peer-reviewed by individuals knowledgeable about the topic being discussed. We cannot guarantee that all submissions to JAAVSO will be published, but we encourage authors of all experience levels and in all fields related to variable star astronomy and the AAVSO to submit manuscripts. We especially encourage students and other mentees of researchers affiliated with the AAVSO to submit results of their completed research.
Page charges are waived for Members of the AAVSO, and we encourage everyone wishing to publish in JAAVSO to become a member; publication of unsolicited manuscripts in JAAVSO by non-members requires a page charge of US$100/page for the final printed manuscript. Page charge waivers may be provided under certain circumstances.
Electronic access to all papers, once they are placed on line, is free and open to everyone regardless of membership status. Articles published in JAAVSO are available from and may be searched via the NASA Astrophysics Data System (NASA/ADS) Abstract Service. We also encourage authors to publish their accepted JAAVSO manuscripts via independent abstract services such as arXiv.org.