Nebo Blyzhcheastrophotography from a balcony
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Science from a balcony: variable stars for the AAVSO

1,086 measurements for the AAVSO, 53 objects, 19 nights since 20 August 2026

Besides pretty pictures, the telescope on my balcony also measures. Frames of nebulae and galaxies hold hundreds of stars, and some of them are variable: their brightness changes over hours or days. I measure that brightness and submit the results to the AAVSO, the American Association of Variable Star Observers.

For more than a century the AAVSO has collected observations from amateurs all over the world. Professional astronomers use this data in research: to refine periods of eclipsing binaries, catch outbursts, decide when to point a large telescope. My observer code is KTFA, and everything submitted under it is open.

Below is everything submitted so far: light curves, the list of stars and how exactly I measure with a small smart telescope under a light-polluted city sky.

1,086measurements submitted to the AAVSO
53objects variable stars and a supernova
19nights with measurements
25light curves on this page

AAVSO observer code: KTFA · AAVSO International Database

Supernova SN 2026aaiv in NGC 7331

A type Ia supernova flared up in September 2026 in the galaxy NGC 7331, about 44 million light years away. I measured its brightness near the peak: 5 measurements from 12 September to 1 October 2026, between magnitude 11.94 and 12.56.

Supernova SN 2026aaiv in NGC 733112.0012.2012.4012.6012 September1 October

Image of the galaxy with the supernova

Light curves

The higher the point, the brighter the star. Each segment of a card is one night: the gaps between nights are squeezed out so you can see how the brightness changed during the night. Shown are stars with 10 or more measurements, long series with up to 200 points.

V Tri

V Tri: Variable star, 10.78…11.72

EB/SD · period 0.5852 d

166 measurements · 6 nights
brightness 10.78…11.72

25 August – 7 October 2026 · VSX

field: Triangulum Galaxy M 33

BC Tri

BC Tri: Variable star, 11.47…11.85

EW · period 0.7078 d

142 measurements · 5 nights
brightness 11.47…11.85

25 August – 7 October 2026 · VSX

field: Triangulum Galaxy M 33

V1188 Tau

V1188 Tau: Variable star, 11.94…12.46

EW · period 0.5759 d

87 measurements · 2 nights
brightness 11.94…12.46

20 August – 23 August 2026 · VSX

field: Pleiades M 45

YZ Tau

YZ Tau: Variable star, 13.04…13.45

RRC · period 0.4115 d

78 measurements · 2 nights
brightness 13.04…13.45

20 August – 23 August 2026 · VSX

field: Pleiades M 45

ASAS J024636-0002.4

ASAS J024636-0002.4: Variable star, 10.71…10.84

72 measurements · 3 nights
brightness 10.71…10.84

10 October – 12 October 2026 · VSX

field: M 77

VX Cet

VX Cet: Variable star, 11.61…11.77

69 measurements · 3 nights
brightness 11.61…11.77

10 October – 12 October 2026 · VSX

field: M 77

ASAS J024609+0017.1

ASAS J024609+0017.1: Variable star, 12.25…12.74

68 measurements · 3 nights
brightness 12.25…12.74

10 October – 12 October 2026 · VSX

field: M 77

BU Cas

BU Cas: Variable star, 11.40…11.66

EA/DM · period 2.255 d

35 measurements · 3 nights
brightness 11.40…11.66

31 August – 2 September 2026 · VSX

field: Open cluster M103

V1320 Cas

V1320 Cas: Variable star, 11.73…12.35

EW · period 0.3487 d

33 measurements · 3 nights
brightness 11.73…12.35

31 August – 2 September 2026 · VSX

field: Open cluster M103

HR Gem

HR Gem: Variable star, 11.87…12.55

EA/SD · period 1.069 d

32 measurements · 1 night
brightness 11.87…12.55

2 September 2026 · VSX

field: Open cluster M35

Gaia DR3 458373035989882880

Gaia DR3 458373035989882880: Variable star, 10.14…10.34

28 measurements · 3 nights
brightness 10.14…10.34

31 August – 2 September 2026 · VSX

Gaia DR3 458336442867955968

Gaia DR3 458336442867955968: Variable star, 12.55…13.09

24 measurements · 2 nights
brightness 12.55…13.09

31 August – 2 September 2026 · VSX

Mis V1395

Mis V1395: Variable star, 11.39…11.87

24 measurements · 2 nights
brightness 11.39…11.87

31 August – 2 September 2026 · VSX

NSVS 1908107

NSVS 1908107: Variable star, 10.93…11.04

24 measurements · 2 nights
brightness 10.93…11.04

31 August – 2 September 2026 · VSX

IL Cas

IL Cas: Variable star, 11.05…11.80

EA/SD · period 3.452 d

22 measurements · 2 nights
brightness 11.05…11.80

1 September – 2 September 2026 · VSX

field: Open cluster M103

Gaia DR3 510675670252369664

Gaia DR3 510675670252369664: Variable star, 12.40…12.70

16 measurements · 3 nights
brightness 12.40…12.70

31 August – 2 September 2026 · VSX

NSVS 3991669

NSVS 3991669: Variable star, 13.15…13.61

14 measurements · 2 nights
brightness 13.15…13.61

10 October – 11 October 2026 · VSX

field: NGC 891

ASASSN-V J012806.54+601335.1

ASASSN-V J012806.54+601335.1: Variable star, 12.88…13.58

14 measurements · 3 nights
brightness 12.88…13.58

31 August – 2 September 2026 · VSX

NSVS 6999791

NSVS 6999791: Variable star, 12.85…13.17

12 measurements · 1 night
brightness 12.85…13.17

28 September 2026 · VSX

ASASSN-V J021726.20+570051.2

ASASSN-V J021726.20+570051.2: Variable star, 12.92…13.05

12 measurements · 2 nights
brightness 12.92…13.05

31 August – 2 September 2026 · VSX

ASASSN-V J022319.15+565609.6

ASASSN-V J022319.15+565609.6: Variable star, 13.25…13.56

11 measurements · 2 nights
brightness 13.25…13.56

31 August – 2 September 2026 · VSX

Gaia DR3 458488622150449280

Gaia DR3 458488622150449280: Variable star, 9.98…10.10

11 measurements · 2 nights
brightness 9.98…10.10

1 September – 2 September 2026 · VSX

NSVS 1911335

NSVS 1911335: Variable star, 10.04…10.21

11 measurements · 2 nights
brightness 10.04…10.21

1 September – 2 September 2026 · VSX

All objects

ObjectTypeMeasurementsNightsBrightness, magPeriodCatalogue
V TriVariable EB/SD166610.78…11.7225 August – 7 October 2026VSX
BC TriVariable EW142511.47…11.8525 August – 7 October 2026VSX
V1188 TauVariable EW87211.94…12.4620 August – 23 August 2026VSX
YZ TauVariable RRC78213.04…13.4520 August – 23 August 2026VSX
ASAS J024636-0002.4Variable star72310.71…10.8410 October – 12 October 2026VSX
VX CetVariable star69311.61…11.7710 October – 12 October 2026VSX
ASAS J024609+0017.1Variable star68312.25…12.7410 October – 12 October 2026VSX
BU CasVariable EA/DM35311.40…11.6631 August – 2 September 2026VSX
V1320 CasVariable EW33311.73…12.3531 August – 2 September 2026VSX
HR GemVariable EA/SD32111.87…12.552 September 2026VSX
Gaia DR3 458373035989882880Variable star28310.14…10.3431 August – 2 September 2026VSX
Gaia DR3 458336442867955968Variable star24212.55…13.0931 August – 2 September 2026VSX
Mis V1395Variable star24211.39…11.8731 August – 2 September 2026VSX
NSVS 1908107Variable star24210.93…11.0431 August – 2 September 2026VSX
IL CasVariable EA/SD22211.05…11.801 September – 2 September 2026VSX
Gaia DR3 510675670252369664Variable star16312.40…12.7031 August – 2 September 2026VSX
NSVS 3991669Variable star14213.15…13.6110 October – 11 October 2026VSX
ASASSN-V J012806.54+601335.1Variable star14312.88…13.5831 August – 2 September 2026VSX
GSC 03693-01705Variable HADS(B)14213.26…13.5731 August – 2 September 2026VSX
NSVS 6999791Variable star12112.85…13.1728 September 2026VSX
ASASSN-V J021726.20+570051.2Variable star12212.92…13.0531 August – 2 September 2026VSX
ASASSN-V J022319.15+565609.6Variable star11213.25…13.5631 August – 2 September 2026VSX
Gaia DR3 458488622150449280Variable star1129.98…10.101 September – 2 September 2026VSX
NSVS 1911335Variable star11210.04…10.211 September – 2 September 2026VSX
NSVS 8904208Variable SRB7711.97…12.6412 September – 19 October 2026VSX
V1141 CasVariable EA6111.97…12.1031 August 2026VSX
SN 2026aaivSupernova5511.94…12.5612 September – 1 October 2026Nebo Blyzhche
V1009 CasVariable star4112.98…13.191 October 2026VSX
ASASSN-V J021956.55+422610.5Variable star3311.09…11.1110 October – 12 October 2026VSX
ASASSN-V J022252.66+415712.4Variable star3312.2010 October – 12 October 2026VSX
ASASSN-V J022403.65+425310.8Variable star3310.52…10.5410 October – 12 October 2026VSX
V0472 CasVariable SR3312.72…12.8231 August – 2 September 2026VSX
NSVS J0217172+415532Variable star2214.29…14.4710 October – 11 October 2026VSX
ASASSN-V J021638.34+570512.5Variable SR2211.63…11.6831 August – 2 September 2026VSX
ASASSN-V J021656.45+565817.5Variable SR2212.96…12.9731 August – 2 September 2026VSX
ASASSN-V J022304.07+571008.8Variable star2211.96…11.9931 August – 2 September 2026VSX
ASASSN-V J060817.97+240411.8Variable SR2211.83…11.881 September – 2 September 2026VSX
Barlad V53Variable BE+LERI2211.81…11.8531 August – 2 September 2026VSX
GSC 03694-01728Variable GCAS2211.6331 August – 2 September 2026VSX
GSC 03694-01870Variable GCAS2210.88…10.9231 August – 2 September 2026VSX
Gaia DR3 457094441403794048Variable star2213.57…13.5931 August – 2 September 2026VSX
Gaia DR3 458328711926948992Variable star2211.71…11.7331 August – 2 September 2026VSX
Gaia DR3 458454709081938048Variable star2210.20…10.2631 August – 2 September 2026VSX
TYC 3694-2483-1Variable star2212.72…12.7331 August – 2 September 2026VSX
ASASSN-V J004535.34+570046.5Variable star1112.881 October 2026VSX
ASASSN-V J004729.94+562135.6Variable star1112.851 October 2026VSX
GSC 03663-00955Variable YSO1112.841 October 2026VSX
ASASSN-V J054814.78+320601.7Variable SR1110.8628 September 2026VSX
ASASSN-V J055338.42+322336.0Variable star1112.5628 September 2026VSX
AY AurVariable M1114.1228 September 2026VSX
V0358 AurVariable LB1112.4328 September 2026VSX
ASAS J060739+2413.3Variable MISC1110.332 September 2026VSX
V0367 PerVariable LB1111.8823 August 2026VSX

How I measure

Open data

All measurements are in the international AAVSO database and available to anyone by observer code KTFA or by star name. Stacked images and processing guides are in the astro-data repository on GitHub.

My measurements at the AAVSO · astro-data on GitHub · science.json

What is next

Keep extending the eclipsing binary series, try exoplanet transits for ExoClock and sunspot counts for AAVSO Solar.

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