We are big fans of citizen science! Of course, science is always cool, and STEM/STEAM projects are an increasing part of everyone’s work and school experiences. So understanding how science works is not just fun, but a good way to understand what is going on in the world around us all.
So we are sharing some neat science you can do, contributing toward large projects, and learning new things. Maybe you can use this today; maybe you will save it for later. As long as you enjoy some exploration and learning new things – citizen science is for you! And it is definitely something you can use to bring some good programming to your library.
Check out this project from SciStarter:
| Goal | Find interstellar grains of dust |
|---|---|
| Task | Operate a virtual microscope in your web browser. |
| Where | Online |
| Description | Join us in the search for interstellar dust! On January 15, 2006, the Stardust spacecraft’s sample return capsule parachuted gently onto the Utah desert. Nestled within the capsule were precious particles collected during Stardust’s dramatic encounter with comet Wild 2 in January of 2004; and something else, even rarer and no less precious: tiny particles of interstellar dust that originated in distant stars, light-years away. They are the first such pristine particles ever collected in space, and scientists are eagerly waiting for their chance to “get their hands” on them. Before they can be studied, though, these tiny interstellar grains will have to be found. This will not be easy. Unlike the thousand of particles of varying sizes collected from the comet, scientists estimate that Stardust collected only around 45 interstellar dust particles. They are tiny – only about a micron (a millionth of a meter) in size! These miniscule particles are embedded in an aerogel collector 1,000 square centimeters in size. To make things worse, the collector plates are interspersed with flaws, cracks, and an uneven surface. All this makes the interstellar dust particles extremely difficult to locate. This is where you come in! By asking for help from talented volunteers like you from all over the world, we can do this project in months instead of years. Of course, we can’t invite hundreds of people to our lab to do this search-we only have two microscopes! To find the elusive particles , therefore, we are using an automated scanning microscope to automatically collect images of the entire Stardust interstellar collector at the Curatorial Facility at Johnson Space Center in Houston. We call these stacks of images focus movies. All in all there will be nearly a million such focus movies. These are available to Stardust@home users like you around the world. You can then view them with the aid of a special Virtual Microscope (VM) that works in your web browser. Together, you and thousands of other Stardust@home participants will find the first pristine interstellar dust particles ever brought to Earth! In recognition of the critical importance of the Stardust@home volunteers, the discoverer of an interstellar dust particle will appear as a co-author on any scientific paper by the Stardust@home team announcing the discovery of the particle. The discoverer will also have the privilege of naming the particle! As seen in Chapter 4 of Citizen Science by Caren Cooper. See more |
| How to get started | First, you will go through a short web-based tutorial. Then, you must pass a web-based test to qualify to register and participate. After passing the test and registering, you will be able to login to the Virtual Microscope (VM). The VM will automatically connect to our server and download focus movies. The VM will work within your web browser, under your control. If you’re ready to get started, then click here!: http://stardustathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/get-started/ |
| Total expense | 0.00 |
| Ideal Age Group | Elementary school (6 – 10 years), Graduate students, High school (14 – 17 years), College, Families, Middle school (11 – 13 years), Adults, |
| Spend the time | Indoors |
| Ideal Frequency | Unspecified |
| Average Time | |
| Type of Activity | At home, At school, Exclusively online, |
| Topics | Physics, Astronomy & Space, Computers & Technology, |
| Tags | astronomy, dust, galaxy, moon, nasa, planet, space, stardust, sun, telescope, the crowd and the cloud, |
| Sustainable Development Goals | Relevant Sustainable Development Goals, identified by  ?:Good Health and Well-Being |
| Website | Stardust@home |
And if you want to bring in a few of these ideas to your library, it is useful to have a variety of different program strategies to help share this project. We have a few suggestions to help you get started:
- What is the smallest thing you can think of? These particles are about a micron long – what can you find that is smaller?
- Draw a map of the solar system, including distances between the items
- Use a microscope to look at some very small things
- Write a story about what might be in outer space