Welcome! This project recently migrated onto Zooniverse’s new architecture. For details, see here.
FAQ
Astronomy FAQ's
What is dark energy and where does it comes from?
Dark energy is what is causing the universe to expand faster as it ages. Scientists calculated that this energy constitutes about 70 percent of all the universe. Read more here.
How do we search for dark energy?
We study dark energy's effects: the accelerating expansion of the universe, which has provided much of the evidence of dark energy’s existence. The way in which the universe is accelerating, and changes in the acceleration over time, help scientists whittle down the list of possible explanations, and may even provide the answer. We do this by looking at 1.) Exploding stars 2.) Sound waves of early galaxies and 3.) Distortions of the universe over time. Read more here.
What is the difference between dark energy and dark matter?
Dark matter and dark energy appear to be competing forces in our universe. While they may be related, their effects are quite different. While dark matter pulls matter inward, dark energy pushes it outward. Also, while dark energy shows itself only on the largest cosmic scale, dark matter exerts its influence on individual galaxies as well as the universe at large. Read more here.
Project FAQ's
I am not an astronomer or have a science background, can I still participate?
Of course! Dark Energy Explorers is specifically designed for anyone. You do not need an astronomy or science background to be able to participate.
What if I forget what I am looking for?
Check the field guide or go back through the tutorial for a refresher on what things to look for when classifying.
What if I made a wrong classification?
That's okay! We take a look at multiple classifications for one source and then determine the final classification from all the information. Don't worry, we understand that mistakes happen and we thought of this. Also, sometimes these sources are not easy to identify (even for us!) so every classification is helpful.
For (Nearby VS Distant workflow):
I don't see anything in either the image panel and the spectrum at the bottom is very noisy. What should I do?
Some of our sources are so distant that their signal is very weak, but they can still be real. Classify this source as "Distant Galaxy or Nothing"
There is a strange line or feature in the left image panel. What should I do? (Nearby VS Distant workflow)
Mark it as "Distant or Nothing". We are planning another zooniverse workflow for you to rate your confidence in a distant galaxy classification.