
Dusty Disk Discovered in the Twins’ Foot
A careful study of observations spanning decades has revealed that a star in Gemini is regularly eclipsed by a disk-shrouded companion.

The Fall and Rise of Betelgeuse
With its recent uptick in brightness, Betelgeuse appears to be slowly returning to normal. But will it? Astronomers urge us to keep watch.

Is Betelgeuse Approaching a Crossroads?
Astronomers all over are waiting with bated breath to see what Betelgeuse will do next. Is it going to start brightening again on February 21st? Or will it continue to surprise?

The 2020 Chambliss Amateur Achievement Award Goes To Dennis Conti
Each year, the American Astronomical Society confers the Chambliss Amateur Achievement Award for significant astronomical research carried out by an amateur astronomer. This year the award goes to Dennis Conti of the AAVSO.

Mark Your Calendar: Stellar Fireworks Predicted for 2083
According to Bradley Schaefer (Louisiana State University), the 11th-magnitude variable star, V Sagittae, will outshine Sirius and maybe even Venus — despite its distance of some 7,500 light-years.

Do You Take Spectra? Here's Where to Store Your Data — and Contribute to Science
A new database from the American Association of Variable Star Observers enables astronomers (amateur and professional alike) to store data from any variable object in the sky.

Observations Confirm Lensing Planet Discovered by Amateur
Follow-up observations of an amateur-discovered exoplanet show that the planet orbits its star at the snow line, where ice giants may form.

Century of Amateur Observations Shed Light on Star's Evolution
The amateurs of the AAVSO monitored the star T Ursae Minoris for a century. Now, astronomers think they can explain the star's recent change in behavior.

From Lunar Flashes to Variable Stars: Pro-Am Astronomy Projects
Track satellites, spot flashes on the Moon, monitor violent stars — learn how amateur astronomers can become involved in professional science.

Explore the Night with Bob King
Hunting Bright Variable Stars in M5 and M13
Globular clusters are packed with variable stars, some of which are easy to see and follow in amateur telescopes. We explore M5 and M13, two of the season's finest.

Amateur Planet Hunters Have a New Online Resource
A database run by the American Association of Variable Star Observers will organize and archive data on transiting exoplanets collected by amateur astronomers.

Dwarf Nova V392 Persei Goes Big — It's Now Binocular Bright
In a rare move, a sleepy cataclysmic variable blows its top and suddenly becomes a nova.

Is T CrB About to Blow its Top?
The recurrent nova T Coronae Borealis last made a splash just after World War II. Does its current restive state hint at an imminent outburst?

Stellar New Director for AAVSO
The appropriately named Stella Kafka has been named the newest in a series of esteemed directors of the American Association of Variable Star Observers.

Meet My Variable Friend SS Cygni
Get acquainted with SS Cygni, the sky's brightest cataclysmic variable star. It's guaranteed to keep you on your toes.
Past Meets Future at AAVSO's Centennial
Variable-star observers gathered to celebrate astronomy's most successful citizen-science organization. But old ways are ending, and a very different next century lies ahead for the AAVSO.

A New Foundation for the AAVSO
The American Association of Variable Star Observers is moving into Sky & Telescope's old headquarters at 49 Bay State Road, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
AAVSO Names New Director
The American Association of Variable Star Observers announced that Arne A. Henden will be the new director.