Without the nightly observations of amateur astronomers, the professional astronomer would find it difficult, if not impossible, to collect the quantity of data that is needed to further the study of stars, the Sun, novae and supernovae, comets, and meteors. Variable star observers who contribute their observations to the AAVSO constitute the foundation of our organization, and their observations comprise the AAVSO International Database. These observations enable the AAVSO to collaborate with professional astronomers for real-time information or simultaneous optical observations.
The AAVSO Variable Star Observer Award is a certificate presented to each variable star observer who has reached certain milestones regarding the cumulative number of observations they have submitted to the AAVSO International Database. The awards, intended to be presented at the AAVSO Spring Meeting, were created in 1994, starting from the cumulative totals of each observer's data received through the end of fiscal year 1992-1993 (through September 30, 1993). The awards were presented at the AAVSO Annual Meeting beginning in fiscal year 2017-2018. Spectroscopy awards were added in fiscal year 2019-2020. The award levels and categories were revised in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2020, and the following levels are currently recognized:
Visual observations
100, 1,000, 5,000, 10,000, 25,000, 50,000, 75,000, 100,000, 125,000, 150,000, 175,000, 200,000, 225, 000, 250,000, 275,000, 300,000, etc.
CCD observations
1,000, 10,000, 50,000, 100,000, 200,000, 300,000, 400,000, 500,000, etc.
DSLR observations
100, 500, 1,000, 10,000, 50,000, 100,000, 200,000, 300,000, etc.
Exoplanet observations (transits, not individual observations)
5, 10, 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, etc.
Photoelectric Photometry observations
100, 500, 1,000, 2,500, 5,000, 7,500, 10,000, 12,500, 15,000, 17,500, 20,000, etc.
Photographic/Photovisual observations
100, 500, 1,000, 5,000, 10,000, 25,000, etc.
Spectroscopy observations
100, 500, 1,000, 1,500, 2,000, 2,500, etc.
Visual-estimate-from-a-digital-image observations (discontinued after 2019-2020)
100, 500, 1,000, 5,000, 10,000
Listing of AAVSO Observer Award Recipients
112th Annual Meeting, Somerville, Massachusetts, November 3-5, 2023
111th Annual Meeting, Tucson, Arizona, November 4-6, 2022
110th Annual Meeting, Somerville, Massachusetts, November 5-7, 2021
109th Annual Meeting, Held Virtually: November 13-15, 2020
108th Annual Meeting, Las Cruces, New Mexico: October 18-21, 2019
107th Annual Meeting, Flagstaff, Arizona; November 15-17, 2018
106th Annual Meeting, Nashville, Tennessee; November 2-4, 2017
106th Spring Meeting, Ontario, California; June 16-17, 2017
105th Spring Meeting, St. Louis, Missouri; May 5-7, 2016
104th Spring Meeting, Muncie, Indiana; June 4-6, 2015
103rd Spring Meeting, Ontario, California; June 12-14, 2014
102nd Spring Meeting, Boone, North Carolina; May 16-18, 2013
101st Spring Meeting, Big Bear Lake, California; May 22–24, 2012
100th Spring Meeting, Boston, Massachusetts; May 21–26, 2011
99th Spring Meeting, San Rafael, Argentina, April 15–18, 2010
98th Spring Meeting, Big Bear Lake, California, May 19–21, 2009
97th Spring Meeting, Cambridge, England, April 10–13, 2008
96th Spring Meeting, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, June 28–July 3, 2007
95th Spring Meeting, Rockford, Ilinois, May 5–6, 2006
94th Spring Meeting, Las Cruces, New Mexico, March 25–26, 2005
93rd Spring Meeting, Berkeley, California, July 20–24, 2004
92nd Spring Meeting, Tucson, Arizona, April 23–26, 2003
91st Spring Meeting, Waikoloa Beach, Hawaii, June 30–July 6, 2002
90th Spring Meeting, Madison, Wisconsin, May 5, 2001
89th Spring Meeting, Huntsville, Alabama, April 15, 2000
88th Spring Meeting, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, July 1–5, 1999
87th Spring Meeting, Boulder, Colorado, June 18–21, 1998
86th Spring Meeting, Sion & St. Luc, Switzerland, May 26–31, 1997
85th Spring Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia, April 12–13, 1996
84th Spring Meeting, Stamford, Connecticut, May 12–14, 1995
83rd Spring Meeting, Houston, Texas, May 21, 1994