Astronomy research by ... Internet

Gone are the days when astronomical research had to have big, expensive telescopes and must be professional researchers. Today's digital age is ' open ' to everyone, just if they meet two factors: truly passionate about exploring the universe and a . Internet-connected computer.

As an amateur astronomer, as a child, Bianco was very passionate about the complexity of the galaxy. Currently, he is a member of a highly developed online community specializing in research, screening mountain data collected by real scientists in the process of searching for other planets.

Although there have been no breakthrough findings yet, Bianco is ' enameling ' on the margins of true astronomical research.

Previously, amateur astronomers had never been comfortable with astronomical data. Those things were once only for professional scientists owning large telescopes. However, in the new context of astronomy today, experts are increasingly in need of the help of " pagans " but have a little passion for exploring this universe.

The apprentices ' group will use computers to research and develop images and data. All are pursuing the common goal of making breakthroughs in the discovery.

'We are living in the golden era of astronomy,' Bianco said excitedly. It is Bianco's special passion because in his life, he is a professor of political science at Indiana University (USA).

Thanks to computer technology, newcomers like Bianco can switch from " sky observers " who merely turn into scientific research assistants.

Even before virtual astronomy was born, amateur researchers were able to do it ' by themselves ' . They observed small planets to search for supernova explosions, looking for new comets.

In 1995, the new astronomer entered the profession Thomas Bopp saved his name with posterity because he discovered the comet Hale-Bopp.

William Bianco is examining astronomical data on personal computers in Bloomington, Indiana (USA).(Photo: AP)

Since the late 1990s, virtual astronomy has grown dramatically. One of the first projects for ' ordinary scientists ' is SETI. The software distribution project helps create a virtual supercomputer by exploiting idle networked personal computers to search for alien radio signals.

Internet: Golden opportunity for amateur astronomers

Bianco is a member of an Internet project called Systemic. Systemic boasts 750 amateur ' planetary hunting ' houses. Until now, astronomers have discovered more than 200 planets across the solar system using traditional methods, although there are still many possibilities for other planets to be discovered.

Project participants will download the software to the computer and then review the data, calculate the very small vibration caused by gravity in the star movements when searching for planets orbiting them. In addition, they have to decode planetary system regeneration data given by project managers. This will help astronomers better understand the extrasolar planets.

According to Greg Laughlin, project manager of Systemic and an astronomer at the University of Santa Cruz, California, up to now, those online members have identified hundreds of ' considered ' planets, but only about 5 of them may be true for the first time. He said: 'However, it is not a useless game'.

Although the Systemic project site supports search engines, it does not directly publish members' findings, Laughlin said, if amateur researchers want to publish their findings, they need to find another way, perhaps a scientific journal, for a greater reputation.

Terry Mann, president of the Astronomical Federation, the organization of more than 240 amateur astronomical clubs of the United States, said that before virtual astronomy was born, it was very difficult for new astronomers Many times can inform their findings. But now, high-speed, regularly updated Internet utilities have erased the gap between professional researchers and amateurs.

Last year, Ms. Mann registered to take on the task of analyzing online images of microscopic dust particles first captured by NASA spacecraft, brought to Earth.

Work is extremely hard. Ms. Mann, along with 25,000 volunteers, had to scan thousands of digital photos to search for long streaks of tiny carrots created by stellar dust particles. It is said that the streaks are the remnants of the stellar explosions in the universe.

After a hard working process, Ms. Mann submitted 40 cases that may have images of stellar dust in the picture. If these cases are true, successful amateur researchers will find out to be ' honored ' in a scientific journal published by researchers at the University of Berkeley, California. Berkeley University is also the steward of the Stardust project.

Mann said: ' Amateur researchers can do real science. We are willing to help them . '

Andrew Westphal, deputy director of Berkeley's Space Science Laboratory, praised amateur researchers. He said: ' They searched very well. I think at this point they are even better than us . '

It can be said that the Internet has brought significant benefits to professional astronomers, who have always struggled to gain the rare time of working in large observatories.

Since 2001, the National Science Foundation has funded a $ 10 million project to build a 'national virtual observatory '. The observatory will include all the data collected from space and ground telescopes, including the Hubble telescope and X-ray data (X-ray data) of the Chandra Observatory.

This project is still in the process of development and users are mostly experts who want a formal source of image storage. According to the project manager, Mr. Robert Hanisch, of the Space Telescope Science Institute, high school students and university students are also increasingly interested in the project website.

Do Duong