Find Kuiper Belt objects

DanishDynamite · 12th May 2012, 01:33 PM

The New Horizons probe is now about half way to its meeting with Pluto. After its encounter with Pluto, NASA intends to send it into close proximity of one or two Kuiper Belt objects. However, they currently don't know (no one does) exactly where these objects are and hence exactly what direction they should send the probe. This is where you come in.

At CosmoQuest there is a Citizen Scientist project where everyone can join in to find Kuiper Belt objects, including hopefully one or two that the probe can target.

So, if you have some spare time, join me as an Ice Investigator at the CosmoQuest link above. The Ice Investigator package is currently in Beta testing, but it is fully operational and the Beta label is expected to be dropped any day now. My current stats (you'll understand if you join in) are the following:

Images viewed: 1246
Transients marked: 240
Transients confirmed: 200

LarianLeQuella · 14th May 2012, 06:17 AM

Very cool! I love Citizen Science!

PS13 · 21st May 2012, 12:44 PM

Thank you for posting this. I'm in & searching for transients. Not only is this idea fun (IMO), it's also very smart. There must be thousands upon thousands of photos to search through and the more people there are searching, the better chance to find a home for The New Horizons spacecraft.

Thanks again.

Dancing David · 22nd May 2012, 07:28 PM

Me too, thanks!

12th May 2012, 01:33 PM	#1
DanishDynamite Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: In the cold Posts: 10,802	Find Kuiper Belt objects The New Horizons probe is now about half way to its meeting with Pluto. After its encounter with Pluto, NASA intends to send it into close proximity of one or two Kuiper Belt objects. However, they currently don't know (no one does) exactly where these objects are and hence exactly what direction they should send the probe. This is where you come in. At CosmoQuest there is a Citizen Scientist project where everyone can join in to find Kuiper Belt objects, including hopefully one or two that the probe can target. So, if you have some spare time, join me as an Ice Investigator at the CosmoQuest link above. The Ice Investigator package is currently in Beta testing, but it is fully operational and the Beta label is expected to be dropped any day now. My current stats (you'll understand if you join in) are the following: Images viewed: 1246 Transients marked: 240 Transients confirmed: 200

14th May 2012, 06:17 AM	#2
LarianLeQuella Elf Wino Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: 3rd Rock from the Sun Posts: 1,995	Very cool! I love Citizen Science!
	__________________ My crappy blog that no one should be forced to read. Ever... But I like traffic and comments, so have at it if you please. Larian LeQuella Armyn ab Treanid

21st May 2012, 12:44 PM	#3
PS13 Critical Thinker Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 288	Thank you for posting this. I'm in & searching for transients. Not only is this idea fun (IMO), it's also very smart. There must be thousands upon thousands of photos to search through and the more people there are searching, the better chance to find a home for The New Horizons spacecraft. Thanks again.
PS13 Critical Thinker Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 288	__________________ Faith is the great cop-out, the great excuse to evade the need to think and evaluate evidence. Faith is belief in spite of, even perhaps because of, the lack of evidence.~ Richard Dawkins Religion is a major thorn in our species side ~ Juniversal

22nd May 2012, 07:28 PM	#4
Dancing David Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 34,705	Me too, thanks!
	__________________ Hell, dynamiting fish in a barrel is more challenging. - Ladewig I suspect you are a sandwich, metaphorically speaking. -Donn And a shot rang out. Now Space is doing time... -Ben Burch You built the toilet - don't complain when people crap in it. _Kid Eager