AAVSO’s records are open to all, and used by professional astronomers, researchers and educators.
Astronomy is, perhaps, the science in which the border is most blurred between the “professional” and the “amateur”. The sky is open to everybody and, for centuries, the contribution of non-professional astronomers to the advancement of astronomy has been significant.
Today, the technology that is available for small amateur telescopes and digital cameras is allowing amateur astronomers to contribute to scientific research. I am not talking here