New membership classifications, benefits and dues

There have been some changes in membership classifications, benefits and dues for the 2014 membership year.

Regular Annual dues will now be $75.00. The annual Sustaining membership rate will be raised to $150.00. If you are an educator, student, have a limited income or you are on a pension, your dues will be $37.50 per year.

We are also introducing a new membership class for people from low income and developing countries. If you reside in any country other than Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korean Republic, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom or the United States, your annual dues will be only $25.00. We hope this enables people from many more countries to join the AAVSO and have all the benefits of regular membership.

So, what are the exclusive benefits of membership in the AAVSO anyway? You can vote in elections and serve on Council. You have access to the most recent year of the JAAVSO. You also have access to the CCD Guide, VPHOT and VStar plugins. You can submit a proposal and acquire data using AAVSOnet and access APASS, BSM and AAVSOnet epoch photometry. You may also attend meetings, CHOICE courses and other classes and workshops at the discounted member rate. 

One of the most important benefits is what your paid membership does for the AAVSO. By supporting the AAVSO with an Annual or Sustaining membership, you show us that what we do is important to you and to the science of variable star astronomy. Your membership dues help us pursue original research, provide research support to professional astronomers and enables the collection and preservation of data. Your dues help us to maintain our website, and support astronomy education and public outreach. Your participation, through attending meetings, participating in our discussion forums, serving on the Council, contributing data to the AAVSO International Database, or submitting research papers to the Journal of the AAVSO, helps to strengthen the connection between observers, researchers, and educators in the variable star community. Our members have made the AAVSO the organization it is today. With your continued support we can meet all the challenges and opportunities of the twenty-first century.