For visual observers the section publishes detailed charts with labelled sequence comparisons.

A full catalogue of charts can be found on the VSS chart website. This defaults to the latest list of charts. Old charts can be accessed by clicking on old charts in the top right of the page.

The charts are listed by constellation. Clicking into a constellation will then list the variable stars with charts. Clicking on a variable star name will take you to a list of the charts for that star.

The individual charts are listed by their sequence identifier, followed by the chart size where available and whether it is reversed (R) or inverted (I) if applicable. For example, for the star BF Cyg you will find the chart ‘BAAVSS 088.04 20m I‘. The sequence is ‘BAAVSS 088.04’, with this chart being 20 arcminutes in size and inverted. When submitting observations to the BAA VSS Photometry Database the sequence should be entered as ‘BAAVSS 088.04’ or ‘088.04’, the information on chart size and orientation should not be included. The sequence id 088 is for BF Cyg, and 04 means this is the fourth version of this sequence. Sequences are typically updated when improved photometry becomes available for the comparison stars, or an improved list of comparison stars is devised. There are a few older charts that were created prior to the BAA VSS numbering system and these are named differently.

Observers are advised to report full estimates using the latest charts and to quote the sequence identifier. This allows the BAA VSS Photometry Database to calibrate both old and new observations onto the latest sequence. Where the database does not recognise a chart identifier then this will be flagged up as a warning when a file of observations are uploaded.

The charts on the website will be updated whenever a new chart becomes available. New versions of Section charts which will continue to be announced via the VSS Circulars and electronically via BAAVSS-alert.

This catalogue (V15.0) lists all of the stars on the Section’s Variable Star Programme

Printing Tip:  Some of the charts may not print well from a web browser. If this happens try downloading the chart, then opening and printing it from your computer. Alternatively you can copy the chart into another application for printing. Once the chart is visible, right click on the chart with your mouse and choose ‘copy’ or ‘copy image’.  You can then paste into your own graphics program (PaintShop, Photoshop, Paint etc.) and choose your own scale to print.  If pasting into MS Word, you will need to resize the chart after pasting by dragging one of the corners until the chart is the required size.

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