Comments on: Sloan Digital Sky Survey: Changing How Scientists – and the Public – Do Astronomy http://www.universetoday.com/2008/08/21/sloan-digital-sky-survey-changing-how-scientists-%e2%80%93and-the-public-do-astronomy/ Space and astronomy news Sun, 8 Nov 2009 12:45:29 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Jon Hanford http://www.universetoday.com/2008/08/21/sloan-digital-sky-survey-changing-how-scientists-%e2%80%93and-the-public-do-astronomy/comment-page-1/#comment-30376 Jon Hanford Fri, 22 Aug 2008 23:18:35 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=17162#comment-30376 SDSS certainly heralds a paradigm shift in how astronomy will be done in the 21st century. As an avid Galaxy Zoo participant, anyone (even those with no astronomical knowledge) can make important contributions to professional astronomy (e.g. Hanny's Voorwert). The September issue of Sky & Telescope has an excellent article on the next-gen survey telescopes now online or soon to come online (LSST, PanStarrs, Discovery Channel Telescope, VLT Survey Telescope, & SkyMapper to name a few). Try googling these observatories homepages for a glance of what's to come. All these scopes producing terabytes of data every night and available to any interested party will revolutionize the way astronomy is done. Even with computers sifting through this mountain of data, professional astronomers will need the help of amateurs to comb through some of it. As S&T mentions, amateur comet , variable star observers, asteroid hunters & supernovae hunters may need to link up with these survey sites to continue to make valuable contributions to professional astronomy, but who can say what might be found in this new age of Virtual Observatories. I for one can't wait. BTW, PanStarrs-1 already has some test images posted at its' site. Check it out. SDSS certainly heralds a paradigm shift in how astronomy will be done in the 21st century. As an avid Galaxy Zoo participant, anyone (even those with no astronomical knowledge) can make important contributions to professional astronomy (e.g. Hanny's Voorwert). The September issue of Sky & Telescope has an excellent article on the next-gen survey telescopes now online or soon to come online (LSST, PanStarrs, Discovery Channel Telescope, VLT Survey Telescope, & SkyMapper to name a few). Try googling these observatories homepages for a glance of what's to come. All these scopes producing terabytes of data every night and available to any interested party will revolutionize the way astronomy is done. Even with computers sifting through this mountain of data, professional astronomers will need the help of amateurs to comb through some of it. As S&T mentions, amateur comet , variable star observers, asteroid hunters & supernovae hunters may need to link up with these survey sites to continue to make valuable contributions to professional astronomy, but who can say what might be found in this new age of Virtual Observatories. I for one can't wait. BTW, PanStarrs-1 already has some test images posted at its' site. Check it out.

]]> By: Kootstar http://www.universetoday.com/2008/08/21/sloan-digital-sky-survey-changing-how-scientists-%e2%80%93and-the-public-do-astronomy/comment-page-1/#comment-30371 Kootstar Fri, 22 Aug 2008 21:34:16 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=17162#comment-30371 In a hurry today, but added at least 3 new references for future study. My loving thanks to both Nancy and Jamie. In a hurry today, but added at least 3 new references for future study. My loving thanks to both Nancy and Jamie.

]]> By: David R. http://www.universetoday.com/2008/08/21/sloan-digital-sky-survey-changing-how-scientists-%e2%80%93and-the-public-do-astronomy/comment-page-1/#comment-30350 David R. Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:31:09 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=17162#comment-30350 Jamie, thanks for posting the link...wasn't aware of it. It would be difficult to overstate the SDSS contribution. I recall vividly the many textbooks I read on the subject of astronomy, all of which have been revised, rewritten or outdated thanks to this single project. To see the pace, quality and sheer magnitude of new information available in such a short period of time will no doubt keep historians busy... Jamie, thanks for posting the link…wasn't aware of it.

It would be difficult to overstate the SDSS contribution. I recall vividly the many textbooks I read on the subject of astronomy, all of which have been revised, rewritten or outdated thanks to this single project. To see the pace, quality and sheer magnitude of new information available in such a short period of time will no doubt keep historians busy…

]]> By: Jamie Kitchen http://www.universetoday.com/2008/08/21/sloan-digital-sky-survey-changing-how-scientists-%e2%80%93and-the-public-do-astronomy/comment-page-1/#comment-30330 Jamie Kitchen Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:29:39 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=17162#comment-30330 I have been a big fan of ths project since I first read about it in Astronomy magazine. An even more exciting project comming online is the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) Check out tje link below. The challengewill be handling all ofteh data it produces and making sure it can be processed and accessed by the people who need it. www.lsst.org I have been a big fan of ths project since I first read about it in Astronomy magazine. An even more exciting project comming online is the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) Check out tje link below. The challengewill be handling all ofteh data it produces and making sure it can be processed and accessed by the people who need it.

http://www.lsst.org

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