Can Crowdfunded Astronomy Work? (Op-Ed)

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Mark Jackson is the founder of Fiat Physica. He contributed this article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

The U.S. budget crises over the last decade have been particularly harsh to physics and astronomy. In 2004, the Hubble Space Telescope was nearly defunded until public outcry ensured its continuing operation. In 2011, the U.S. House Appropriations Committee tried to cancel NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, only for it to be saved by the U.S. Senate at the last moment.

That same year, the NASA Constellation Program was not so lucky. The five-year, $9 billion project was intended to succeed NASA's Space Shuttle Program and usher in a new era of human spaceflight. Many people anticipated that this project would lead to astronauts not only returning to the moon, but venturing as far into deep space as Mars. Deemed too expensive and behind schedule, it was removed in the 2011 federal budget.

In the face of a global economic downturn, one might ask why such astronomy funding should be a priority at all. My personal viewpoint one that I believe is shared by many people is that, if we do not try to understand our place in the universe, what point is there in doing anything else? But the public and Congress often need other, more tangible, reasons. For them, here's the best possible answer: Space research is an excellent technological and financial investment.

A vested interest in investment

In 1962, NASA established the Technology Utilization Plan, which makes NASA technologies available to the commercial marketplace. The research pioneered at NASA has led to nearly 1,800 spinoff technologies, including cellphone cameras, breast-cancer detection software, and airplane wing design so efficient it has saved more than 2 billion gallons of jet fuel.

For every dollar invested in NASA, spinoff technologies have boosted the economy by $7 to $14. If Americans want the next generation to continue to benefit from such technological developments, we need to invest in the space research of today.

Just as crowdsourcing has emerged as a new way to solve immense scientific problems, crowdfunding is emerging as a way to address the immense scientific funding crisis. Crowdsourcing, in which many participants use the Internet to contribute bits of content toward a larger goal, has allowed problems of previously insurmountable scale to be efficiently analyzed and solved. Astronomy has been at the forefront of this "citizen science" approach.

For example, Galaxy Zoo invites the public to classify galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, which then led to the Zooniverse, a collection of citizen-science projects in all areas of science (and even the humanities) that currently boasts more than 1 million members.

Crowdfunding physics and astronomy

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Can Crowdfunded Astronomy Work? (Op-Ed)

For Berit Madsen's documentary star Sepideh, the sky's not the limit

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Danish film-maker Berit Madsen's documentary, Sepideh, Reaching For The Stars.

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Danish film-maker Berit Madsen recognised her documentary subject almost as soon as she set eyes on her.

Sepideh Hooshyar is passionate about stars and inspired by Albert Einstein.

She didn't necessarily have a film in mind, she says, when she heard about a small town in the south of Iran where an astronomy club was thriving, and schoolchildren went out to go stargazing.

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She was already making a trip to the country, she says, "and I was just so curious, so I decided to change my schedule, and see what was going on".

"I met Sepideh, and from that moment of fate, I knew that there was a film; that I needed to follow that girl and see what was going to happen in her life."

Sepideh, Reaching For The Stars is the story of Sepideh Hooshyar, who was 14 when Madsen met her; a girl in a chador lugging around a large telescope more than half her height.

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For Berit Madsen's documentary star Sepideh, the sky's not the limit

UF professor discovers new planets through astronomy research over 6 years

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Jian Ge has explored the universe searching for other planets in the solar system since 2006.

In six years, the UF astronomy professor said he discovered 51 new planets, 38 brown dwarfs and 285 binary star systems, which are two stars that share the same orbit.

He conducted his research in New Mexico with a machine he built called MARVELS, which stands for Multi-object APO Radial Velocity Exoplanet Large Area Survey.

Ge said he specifically wanted to study the formation of giant planets.

We try to understand the giant planets formation and evolution, he said.

Ge said he plans to lead another project in the future to gather a larger sample. He said he will hopefully be able to scan several hundred stars with improving technology, as opposed to the 60 he has been limited to studying during each exploration.

He said his team needs to improve its data processing for future observations.

In order to find these giant planets, you need a big sample, Ge said.

Natalie Foster, a UF astrophysics senior, said its vital to continue exploring and studying the universe for other planets.

Its important, said Foster, 21, because were trying to find out where other life in the universe is.

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UF professor discovers new planets through astronomy research over 6 years

UCA's planetarium, observatory invites community to explore astronomy

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The Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Central Arkansas invites the public to experience astronomical phenomena through a different scope on the universitys campus.

This spring, three planetarium shows are planned Feb. 4, March 4 and April 1 and four observatory nights are scheduled Jan. 21, Feb. 18, March 18 and April 15.

Admission is free and open to anyone in the community for the shows.

Planned programs are subject to cancellation or delay based on the possibility of technical difficulties or weather.

Scott Austin, director of UCA Astronomical Facilities, said the planetarium in Lewis Science Center 010 acts as a sky theater for the audience to see a projection of how the sky appears on a 30-foot diameter dome through a Spitz 512 projector.

What I do for these shows for the general public is, I give a tour of the sky for that particular month, he said. The stars, the constellations, planets, special events like meteor showers.

Each planetarium show, about an hour in length, also includes flying the audience through astronomical data.

The 60-seat planetarium in UCAs Lewis Science Center hosts the shows on Wednesdays starting at 7 p.m.

I go over scientific discoveries so theres a science education aspect to it, Austin said, adding that hes explained landings on Mars and comet fly-bys at previous shows.

Austin said the program began in the 1980s upon completion of an addition to Lewis Science Center. He has been in charge of the planetarium programs here since 2000.

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UCA's planetarium, observatory invites community to explore astronomy

ECS Summer Graduation 2014: Ashley Robinson, Electronic Engineering with Artificial Intelligence – Video

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ECS Summer Graduation 2014: Ashley Robinson, Electronic Engineering with Artificial Intelligence
Ashley Robinson graduated with an MEng in Electronic Engineering with Artificial Intelligence in 2014. Here he talks about being an Electronics and Computer ...

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Artificial Intelligence FT. Steo – Forgotten Truths – Video

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Artificial Intelligence FT. Steo - Forgotten Truths
Continuing with the nostalgia tunage, brand new release from Metal Headz and Artifical Intelligence.. featuring the vocal of Steo. Really loving the deepness of this tune. Also really happy...

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Artificial Intelligence and the Future | Andr LeBlanc | TEDxMoncton – Video

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Artificial Intelligence and the Future | Andr LeBlanc | TEDxMoncton
This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. In his talk, Andre will explain the current and future impacts of Artificial Intelligence on industry,...

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Beehive Academy STEM-Artificial Intelligence:Learning to Learn – Video

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Beehive Academy STEM-Artificial Intelligence:Learning to Learn
This video describes how a computer can adjust to a playing style. Beehive Science and Technology Academy (BSTA), is a college preparatory charter school located in Sandy, Utah serving students...

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Beehive Academy STEM-Artificial Intelligence:Learning to Learn - Video

JSB Market Research : Electronic Control Security Inc. : Aerospace and Defense – Video

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JSB Market Research : Electronic Control Security Inc. : Aerospace and Defense
"Electronic Control Security Inc. : Aerospace and Defense - Company Profile, SWOT Financial Analysis" contains in depth information and data about the company and its operations. This report...

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JSB Market Research : Electronic Control Security Inc. : Aerospace and Defense - Video