Asteroids

• by Alpha_Aurigae

  A number of us have been tagging and collecting asteroids for a long time now.

  Is the science team interested in them? Do we find unknown asteroids in the SDSS images? Or do some of them go unnoticed by the scientific community?

  Would it be a good idea if we invite an astronomer, someone who is trustworthy and who is an asteroid hunter? Maybe he could work with Galaxy Zoo to research and study them.

  And yes, I might know someone.

  Imagine there are a few new asteroids among our images. Wouldn't it be great if they get the names of the GZ volunteer who first tagged them?

  Cheers,
  Abe

  Posted March 11, 2015 6:33 PM

• by ElisabethB moderator

  I was once a very active asteroid hunter over on the GZ forum, I just had a lot of fun. And every asteroid hunter has access to the SDSS images so if they were really interested in them they would have gone through the images I suppose. And it really wasn't about getting to name them in the first place ! As far as I can tell, you cannot name an asteroid after yourself.

  Posted March 11, 2015 6:41 PM

• by Alpha_Aurigae

  OK, ElisabethB, it wasn't about naming the asteroids, that was just an afterthought, but about the scientific value. Would it be OK with the science team if I contact an astronomer?

  Posted March 11, 2015 7:01 PM

• by ElisabethB moderator

  The SDSS images are publicly available and not the property of the Zooniverse.

  Posted March 11, 2015 7:06 PM

• by Alpha_Aurigae

  Yeah, but I don't feel comfortable handing out our contributions to an astronomer without GZ's consent, and I would also like the astronomer to give proper credit where credit is due.

  I know we are free to distribute our contributions, but I don't want to go behind GZ's back.

  Posted March 11, 2015 7:16 PM

• by ElisabethB moderator

  So, let the astronomer look at your contributions and let him/her take a look at the SDSS images. Do contact all the people who have been collecting asteroids and ask for their consent. That way you are covered.

  Posted March 11, 2015 7:19 PM

• by Alpha_Aurigae

  Okay. I'll send you a pm.

  Posted March 11, 2015 7:20 PM