VizieR Online Data Catalog: General Catalogue of Variable Stars (Samus+, 2007-2017)

The GCVS is the only reference source on all known variable stars. This version contains the electronically-readable version as distributed by the Sternberg Astronomical Institute and Institute of Astronomy (Russian Acad.Sci.), Moscow. It includes the catalog of variable stars, updated and completed with the Name-Lists of Variables Stars Nos. 67-79, the NSV (New catalog of Suspected Variable stars) and Supplement to the NSV stars, and a catalog of extragalactic variables. A cross-index makes possible to find out identifications between the GCVS and the NSV catalogue.

After the publication of Volume III of the 4th edition of the GCVS, the subsequent Name-lists with numbers from 67 to 77 contained only names of variable stars in the GCVS systems, together with their coordinates and variability types. We actually started compiling the 5th edition of the GCVS ten years ago, with the 78th Name-list of Variable Stars, which provided (as did all subsequent Name-lists) complete GCVS information for each star (in addition to the variability types, ranges of brightness variations, epochs of brightness maxima or minima, periods, etc.). In all, the 78th-81st Name-lists contain more than 13300 variable stars. The complete revision of information on the coordinates of variable stars (see Introduction) was also a part of the transition to the 5th edition.

The pesent improved electronic version of the GCVS5, combined with Name-Lists of Variable Stars Nos. 67-81 and NSV catalogue and supplement is also available from Sternberg Institute of Moscow University, or http://www.sai.msu.su/gcvs/gcvs/

The GCVS 5.1 version contains data for 52011 individual variable objects discovered and named as variable stars by 2015 and located mainly in the Milky Way galaxy. Also, there are 158 objects that are non-existing, non-stellar, or stars erroneously named for the second time. The stars of the GCVS 5.1 are stars of the GCVS fourth edition plus Name-lists Nos. 67-81. The stars from the Name-lists Nos. 78-81 are presented in the complete GCVS format. Complete information for stars of the Name-lists Nos. 67-77 is so far provided in the first 18 constellations (Andromeda Cassiopeia). In these constellations, the GCVS information has been completely revised with active use of new publications as well as observations retrieved by the GCVS compilers by data mining and used to determine new variability types and new light elements whenever possible. We continue this work and will introduce new data for the next constellations as soon as they are ready. Upon recommendations of the IAU Commissions 27 and 42, in 2006, we developed a new experimental system of classification for variable stars.

gcvs_cat.dat is the combined computer-readable version of the GCVS4.2 Vols. I-III (Kholopov et al. 1985-1988) and Name-Lists of Variable Stars Nos. 67-81 published in the system introduced during the preparation of the 5th GCVS edition; the stars are arranged in the order of their names inside constellations. The total number of designated variable stars has now reached 52011. Errors detected in the printed Volumes I-III and in the Name-Lists were corrected; the file includes also improved positional information, light elements, classifications etc. For 51606 variable stars, our version provides new equatorial J2000.0 coordinates (right ascensions to within 0.01s and declinations to within 0.1"), for 23934 stars with allowance for their proper motions.

crossid.dat is the cross-identification tables of the General Catalogue of Variable Stars (GCVS) contain all GCVS (including variables from the Catalogue of Extragalactic Variable stars), NSV (New Catalogue of Suspected Variable stars) and Supplement to the NSV stars as well as stars from the name-lists of variable stars nos. 67 - 81; it also makes it possible to find out identifications between the GCVS and the NSV catalogue.

The final, Volume V (extragalactic variable stars) contains 10979 variable stars in 35 stellar systems (including the Magellanic Clouds, the large galaxies in Andromeda and Triangulum, etc., see evs*.dat).

(12 data files).