Manual for Visual Observing of Variable Stars

New Translations Underway - In an effort to make the AAVSO Manual more useful to our members and observers world-wide, we have been undertaking a project to translate the manual into different languages. Thanks to the assistance of several ambitious AAVSO volunteers in various countries, French, Spanish, Turkish, Japanese, Polish, Chinese and Italian are completed. We are still looking for volunteers to translate the manual into Russian and Arabic.

The Manual is available from this web page in English in html format and pdf format. Translations of the Manual are available in pdf format only. If you would like to order a printed copy of the English Manual, please visit our online store.

English Version of the AAVSO Visual Observing Manual

HTML Format

PDF Format

Translations of the AAVSO Visual Observing Manual (pdf only)

French

Complete Manual - Manuel pour l'observation visuelle des étoiles variables (6.2 MB)

Sections

• Introduction & Table des Matieres (208 KB)
• Chapitre 1 - Les Preparations (1.7 MB)
• Chapitre 2 - Les Observations (688 KB)
• Chapitre 3 - A Propos des Étoiles Variables (256 KB)
• Chapitre 4 - Calculer L'Heure et le Jour Juliens (368 KB)
• Chapitre 5 - Planifier une Seance D'Observation (80 KB)
• Chapitre 6 - Envoyer les Observations a L'AAVSO (224 KB)
• Chapitre 7 - Exemple D'Observation (752 KB)
• Appendice 1 - Exemples de Courbes de Lumière (352 KB)
• Appendice 2 - Autres Programmes D'Observation de L'AAVSO (1.8 MB)
• Appendice 3 - Ressources Supplementaires (128 KB)
• Index (16 KB)

A special thank you to Dominique Naillon for his hard work in translating the Manual into French.

Spanish

Manual Completo - Manual para la Observación Visual de Estrellas Variables (3.1 MB)

Secciones

• Tabla de Materias y Introducción (150 KB)
• Capítulo 1 - Aprestamientos (887 KB)
• Capítulo 2 - Haciendo Observaciones (422 KB)
• Capítulo 3 - Acerca de las Estrellas variables (110 KB)
• Capítulo 4 - Calculando el Día Juliano y Fracción (180 KB)
• Capítulo 5 - Planificando una Sesion de Observacion (66 KB)
• Capítulo 6 - Enviando Observaciones a la AAVSO (294 KB)
• Capítulo 7 - Ejemplo De Una Observación (952 KB)
• Apéndice 1 - Muestras De Curvas De Luz De Larga Duración (247 KB)
• Apéndice 2 - Otros Programas De Observación De AAVSO (422 KB)
• Apéndice 3 - Recursos Adicionales (30 KB)
• Índice (5 KB)

A special thank you to Jaime García for his hard work in translating the Manual into Spanish.

Turkish

Complete Manual - Değişken Yıldızların Gözlem Kılavuzu (5.4 MB)

İÇİNDEKİLER

• GİRİŞ
• Bölüm 1 - HAZIRLIKLAR
• Bölüm 2 - GÖZLEMLERİN YAPILMASI
• Bölüm 3 - DEĞiŞKEN YILDIZLAR HAKKINDA
• Bölüm 4 - JÜLYEN GÜNÜ VE SAATİNİN HESAPLANMASI
• Bölüm 5 - BİR GÖZLEM SEANSININ PLANLANMASI
• Bölüm 6 - GÖZLEMLERİN AAVSO'YA İLETİLMESİ
• Bölüm 7 - ÖRNEK BİR GÖZLEM SEANSI
• Ek 1 - UZUN ZAMANLI IŞIK EĞRİLERİNE ÖRNEKLER
• Ek 2 - AAVSO'NUN DİĞER GÖZLEM PROGRAMLARI
• Ek 3 - DİĞER EK KAYNAKLAR
• Endeks

A special thank you to Tuğrul Uşşaklı, Sabahattin Bilsel, and Haldun Menali for their hard work in translating the Manual into Turkish.

Japanese

Complete Manual - (4.8 MB)

A special thank you to Seiji Tsuji for his hard work in translating the Manual into Japanese.

Polish

Complete Manual - (5.6 MB)

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A special thank you to Andrzej Grabowski and Jerzy Speil for their hard work in translating the Manual into Polish.

Chinese

Complete Manual - (6.6 MB)

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A special thank you to Dr. Phillip K. Lu for his hard work in translating the Manual into Chinese

Italian

Complete Manual - Manuale per l'Osservazione Visuale delle Stelle Variabili (5.7 MB)

• INTRODUZIONE
• Capitolo 1 - PREPARATIVI
• Capitolo 2 - FARE LE OSSERVAZIONI
• Capitolo 3 - SULLE STELLE VARIABILI
• Capitolo 4 - CALCOLO DEL GIORNO GIULIANO
• Capitolo 5 - PIANIFICAZIONE DI UNA SESSIONE OSSERVATIVA
• Capitolo 6 - INVIO DELLE OSSERVAZIONI ALL'AAVSO
• Capitolo 7 - ESEMPIO DI OSSERVAZIONE
• Appendice 1 - ESEMPI DI CURVE DI LUCE A LUNGO TERMINE
• Appendice 2 - ALTRI PROGRAMMI OSSERVATIVI DELL'AAVSO
• Appendice 3 - MATERIALE AGGIUNTIVO
• INDICE ANALITICO

A special thank you to Dr. Giuseppe Bianco for his hard work in translating the Manual into Italian

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Please let us know if you would like to volunteer for any other translations.

Links to other variable star manuals

Finnish Manual on variable star observing by Mika Luostarinen