<p>The <a href="https://www.aavso.org/aavso-extended-file-format" rel="nofollow noreferrer">file format</a> for submitting observations to AAVSO sheds some light on this.</p>

<p>"Visual" data are estimates by visual comparison to nearby reference stars of similar brightness.</p>

<p>U, B, V, R, I data come from CCD cameras using standard filters in the Johnson-Cousins <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photometric_system" rel="nofollow noreferrer">photometric system</a>, with passbands ranging from near ultraviolet to near infrared.
The J and H filters pass longer wavelengths in the infrared.</p>

<p>"Unfiltered w/(V|R) zero pt" are also from CCD cameras, not using one of the above filters, and calibrated using published V- or R-band magnitudes of reference stars.</p>

<p>Tri-R, Tri-G, Tri-B refer to the RGB channels of a color (e.g. consumer DSLR) camera.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-26T02:09:58.530Z
2020-01-26T02:09:58.530Z
Mike G
<p>I'm generating light curves for some variable stars on the AAVSO website (see <a href="https://www.aavso.org/lcg" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.aavso.org/lcg</a> ) . I can choose what type of data must be plotted. Can you explain what they are?</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/oKM6l.jpg" alt="The parameters."></p>

<p>Thank you in advance!</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-22T08:48:43.267Z
I was going to suggest "reading the manual", but I can't find one either! Would it have killed them to put a short description of the terms on dropdowns or pop-up boxes?
ProfRob
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-22T09:24:25.210Z
There is a manual but there isn't a parameters explanation.
Francesco Sollazzi
<magnitude><variable-star><light-curve>
What are these data in light curve generator
Francesco Sollazzi
# What are these data in light curve generator

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-01-22)

I'm generating light curves for some variable stars on the AAVSO website (see <https://www.aavso.org/lcg> ) . I can choose what type of data must be plotted. Can you explain what they are?

![The parameters.](https://i.sstatic.net/oKM6l.jpg)

Thank you in advance!

**Tags:** magnitude, variable-star, light-curve
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I was going to suggest "reading the manual", but I can't find one either! Would it have killed them to put a short description of the terms on dropdowns or pop-up boxes?  
> **username_0**: There is a manual but there isn't a parameters explanation.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2020-01-26. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

The [file format](https://www.aavso.org/aavso-extended-file-format) for submitting observations to AAVSO sheds some light on this.

"Visual" data are estimates by visual comparison to nearby reference stars of similar brightness.

U, B, V, R, I data come from CCD cameras using standard filters in the Johnson-Cousins [photometric system](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photometric_system), with passbands ranging from near ultraviolet to near infrared.
The J and H filters pass longer wavelengths in the infrared.

"Unfiltered w/(V|R) zero pt" are also from CCD cameras, not using one of the above filters, and calibrated using published V- or R-band magnitudes of reference stars.

Tri-R, Tri-G, Tri-B refer to the RGB channels of a color (e.g. consumer DSLR) camera.


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