Crowdsourcing For Science

"Crowdsourcing" is one of the hottest buzzwords in the business world right now. In a nutshell, it means outsourcing the risk and hard work of a venture to the willing masses. With websites like Kickstarter or Indiegogo, it amounts to a way of skirting around traditional forms of venture capital by funding business and invention startups by way of preorders and donations from a product's target audience.

Crowdsourcing, however, is nothing new in the sciences. Programs like SETI@Home and Folding@Home have been crowdsourcing computer power for scientific data analysis for nearly two decades, and projects like Galaxy Zoo have more recently given enthusiasts a more hands-on way of processing data.

The SETI@home client, analyzing data from radio observatories

There is, however, a much older form of crowdsourcing in science that goes back more than a century, and is focused around two organizations that have long been pillars of the amateur astronomy community; The Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers (ALPO) and the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO).

The involvement in the scientific process for members of these organizations is much deeper than merely sorting through pictures as one does when participating in Galaxy Zoo; observers for AAVSO and ALPO are extremely active in the actual gathering of scientific data, and observations made by members frequently winds up being published in prestigious journals. Numerous active members of AAVSO have even been listed as co-authors on numerous studies that make extensive use of their data. This is an enormous accomplishment for any devoted hobbyist!

AAVSO is devoted to the study of Variable Stars, stars that fluctuate in brightness as observed from earth. By taking measurements of the rate and frequency at which these stars vary in brightness, much can be learned about the size, mass, and life expectancy of the star as well as what mechanism is responsible for the varying brightness. Observers are able to measure these light curves both by visual observation and the process of photometry.

ALPO, on the other hand, keeps its studies closer to home. ALPO observers keep an eye on the solar system, watching for any changes. Amateur Astronomers with ALPO have been the first to raise alarms about impact events on Jupiter and the moon and changing storm patterns on Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. Often they are the first to raise alarms of changes in the Solar System which are later observed and studied in depth by large observatories and Hubble.

While many laypersons may be familiar with the fact that many comets and asteroids have been discovered by amateurs, few among the general public truly understand just how critical the vigilance and dedication of amateur astronomers are to the pursuit of astronomy. Without their input, data, and hard work, progress in many corners of the field of astronomy would screech to a standstill due to lack of manpower and funding. To me, this underscores the lack of understanding the general public has about science and just how much of a cooperative human endeavor science truly is.