Internet users will conduct a galactic census

British astronomers set out to compile a complete catalog of all known galaxies, and about 1 million of them are known. A complete classification of galaxies is needed for the structural analysis of our Universe.

The audit would have taken years of work with scientists and graduate students if they had not guessed to ask for help from the online community. With 10-20 thousand volunteers, the process will take no more than a month. The work is organized in the framework of the project GalaxyZoo . Anyone can register on the site - and immediately proceed to the classification of space material. He is required to carefully consider each photograph taken from the telescope at the American Apache Point Observatory, and indicate which type of galaxy is depicted on it: elliptical or spiral. If possible, the direction of rotation is also indicated.

This is not the first time thousands of space lovers are invited to participate in serious scientific research. A year ago, a similar project, Stardust @ Home, was organized to search for star dust in the gel trap of a ship returning from the tail of Comet Wild 2. In fact, the success of that American project inspired British astronomers.