journal

The following AAVSO publications are available in hard copy on a yearly subscription basis.

As we all know, the quality of scientific journals such as the Journal of the AAVSO, and the viability of its science, depend critically on careful, objective, and informed refereeing. The purpose of this document is to answer questions about the process and protocol of refereeing for JAAVSO and to convey our gratitude for the service performed by referees.

Publication Schedule

The Journal of the AAVSO is published twice a year, June 15 (Number 1 of the volume) and December 15 (Number 2 of the volume). The submission window for inclusion in the next issue of JAAVSO closes six weeks before the publication date. A manuscript will be added to the table of contents for an issue when it has been fully accepted for publication upon successful completion of the referee process; these articles will be available online prior to the publication date.

Research articles

Review papers (up to 10,000 words)

Articles containing reviews and summaries of astronomical information as well as new research (by invitation only).

Variable Star Research (up to 6,000 words)

Articles on any topic of variable star astronomy, broadly including non-stellar variables such as AGN, gamma-ray bursts, and variable nebulae.  Examples include: new observations, analyses of existing data, theoretical and/or computational variable star modeling.

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.

The Journal of the AAVSO is an instrument of the AAVSO, whose mission is "to enable anyone, anywhere, to participate in scientific discovery through variable star astronomy". The purpose of the JAAVSO is to promote the AAVSO's overall mission by serving as the preeminent publication venue not only for AAVSO Members, but for the entire community of variable star scientists and researchers.

Publication criteria

From John Percy, Editor, JAAVSO: