The AAVSO Data Digitization project aims to digitize (mostly historical) variable star data in print but not available in electronic form. Working in coordination with AAVSO Headquarters, volunteers digitize these data from primary sources, providing the star name, JD, decimal of the day (where possible), magnitude, and observer initials (obscode) for each observation; comparison star and other useful information are included where available.
AAVSO 99th Spring Meeting, Mendoza, Argentina, April 15–28, 2010;
awards presented or announced at the 99th Annual Meeting,
Woburn, Massachusetts, October 30, 2010
Variable Star Observer Awards recognizing milestones through September 2009
Award/recipient Affiliation* Country Interval Total
Over 150,000 Visual Observations*
Rod Stubbings 14 Australia 1997–2009 173,519
It was announced at the AAVSO Banquet, Saturday, May 21, 2011, that the 2011 recipient of the AAVSO Director's Award is David Benn of Klemzig, South Australia.
Arne's citation told of how he and David met and how that meeting developed into a reincarnation of VSTAR though David's selfless hard work and devotion.
ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUE
CITATION TO ACCOMPANY AWARD
LESLIE C. PELTIER AWARD
This Award is provided by the Astronomical League and Meade Instruments For
Amateur Astronomers who contribute astronomy observations of lasting
significance.
GRB030725: An Amateur Discovery in a Professional Field
Berto Monard, an AAVSO member and observer, is the first amateur to discover the afterglow to a GRB before the professional community. While many afterglows have been imaged by amateurs, including the famous GRB030329, this is the first time an afterglow was discovered and published by an amateur.
Elizabeth started working at the AAVSO in 1979 after graduating with a degree in Astronomy from Smith College in Northhampton, MA. She began as technical assistant to Director Janet Mattei. Over the next 25 years the variety and number of her responsibilities grew.
Harlow Shapley once referred to Leslie C. Peltier as "the world's greatest living amateur astronomer." This was a view shared by all who knew him, or knew of him. During his active observing life, which spanned all, or parts of eight decades, he made over 132,000 observations of variable stars, discovered twelve comets and six novae.
Elizabeth started working at the AAVSO in 1979 after graduating with a degree in Astronomy from Smith College in Northhampton, MA. She began as technical assistant to Director Janet Mattei. Over the next 25 years the variety and number of her responsibilities grew.