Abstract
Symbiotic systems are interacting binaries, usually composed of a cool giant and a hot white dwarf. They are characterized by significant changes in brightness on various time scales from minutes to decades, which are associated with interesting effects in their spectra.
Although many new symbiotic binaries have been discovered in recent years, several questions remain about their components, evolution, and mechanisms of activity. At least some of the answers can be provided by long-term monitoring of the symbiotic population.
The talk discusses the importance of photometric and spectroscopic observations of symbiotic binaries obtained by amateur observers in the time of space satellites, all-sky photometric surveys, and a large amount of spectroscopic data obtained by professional observatories. We illustrate the importance and possibilities for observers on the example of several successful collaborations of professional and amateur astronomers in this field.