Citizen Science Projects

Amateur and citizen scientists help professional scientists by providing more data and observations, in many more locations, than than would be possible for a professional research program.

Over centuries, amateur astronomers have made several major discoveries, due to their proliferation around the world and ability to be observing at all hours of the night. In 2003, Berto Monard of South Africa became the first amateur astronomer to discover an afterglow of a gamma-ray burst, the most powerful explosion known in the Universe.

Amateur astronomers have also discovered comets and stars, often with equipment they build themselves. And, through their detailed observations and astrophotography they have been able to provide scientists with information that would be unavailable any other way.

Here are some news articles that talk about the achievements of citizen scientists, as well as recent opportunities for citizen scientists:

The following is a listing of current Citizen Science projects that welcome the assistance of citizen scientists, particularly children. Each entry includes a hyper-link where further information about that project is available.

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Science In-General

* GlobalXplorer - GlobalXplorer° is an online platform that uses the power of the crowd to analyze the incredible wealth of satellite images currently available to archaeologists. Launched by 2016 TED Prize winner and National Geographic Fellow, Dr. Sarah Parcak, as her “wish for the world,” GlobalXplorer° aims to bring the wonder of archaeological discovery to all, and to help us better understand our connection to the past.

Johnson, Joshua. "Sarah Parcak: The Indiana Jones of Low Earth Orbit." Radio Interview: "The 1A."
National Public Radio / WAMU-FM 88.5 Washington 2017 March 29.

* Science Friday NPR Radio Program Science Club

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Computer / Electronic Citizen Science Projects

* Amateur Radio Public Service
Annual Amateur Radio Field Day: when ham radio operators test emergency radio operations (Always The Fourth Full Weekend In June).
American Radio Relay League (ARRL)

* EteRNA - RNA molecule-folding: a revolutionary new computer game enabling you to contribute to important scientific research.

* foldit - Protein-folding: a revolutionary new computer game enabling you to contribute to important scientific research.

* Internet Storm Center - Approximately 40 volunteers, representing 8 countries and many industries, monitor the level of malicious activity on the Internet, particularly with regards to large-scale infrastructure events.

* NASA International Space Apps Challenge:

Walsh, Glenn A. "NASA: 2013 International Space Apps Challenge." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2013 April 14.

Walsh, Glenn A. "2nd International Space Apps Challenge Launched by NASA." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2013 Jan. 30.

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Astronomy / Space Sciences Citizen Science Projects

* American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) - Network of amateur astronomers volunteering their time for scientific research - recording observations of variable stars.

* The Andromeda Project - The project aims to identify star clusters in our neighboring galaxy, also known as M31. All it takes to find the clusters in Andromeda is an Internet-enabled computer and a desire to help, said Anil Seth, the team's lead investigator. "No special training is required," he said.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Your Help Needed to Study Andromeda Galaxy." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2012 Dec. 10.

* Astronomy Rewind - Effort to create a data-base of old Astronomy and related images.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Science: Another Way to Help Scientists Search Our Universe." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2017 May 10.
A Citizen Science project, Astronomy Rewind, has recently been unveiled, asking for help from the public to restore decades-old astronomy photographs.

* Citizens in Space challenged to develop space payloads for future misssions.

* ClickWorkers, NASA - Volunteers help NASA by identifying and cataloging craters, and other terrain and landforms on planetary bodies such as Mars, by looking through photographs taken by NASA spacecraft.

* Cloudspotting on Mars - NASA asks members of the general public to sort through data collected by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) to identify Martian clouds.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Science: Help NASA Find Martian Clouds & Exo-Planets." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2022 July 27. First retrieved 2022 July 27.

* Cosmic Ray Detection with Smart Phone App:

Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Science: Smart Phone App to Detect Cosmic Rays." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2015 Aug. 19.

* CosmoQuest - Help NASA evaluate images taken from the International Space Station (ISS).

Atkinson, Nancy. "Hey Citizen Scientists! Help NASA Analyze Images Taken from the Space Station."
UniverseToday.com 2017 Sept. 28.

* Eclipse Mega-Movie ---

Walsh, Glenn. "Citizen Science: Aug. 21 Great American Solar Eclipse Mega-Movie Project." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2017 July 24.

ALSO see other Solar Eclipse Citizen Science Projects.

* Exo-Planet Search ---

Walsh, Glenn A. "Public Invited to Search for Planets in Other Star Systems." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2017 March 27. A huge data-set has been released on the Internet, by a team led by the Carnegie Institution for Science (a.k.a. Carnegie Institution of Washington), inviting the public to help in the search for exo-planets, planets outside of our Solar System.

* Exoplanet Watch ---

Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Science: Help NASA Find Exo-Planets." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2023 Feb. 8. First retrieved 2023 Feb. 8.

* Galaxy Zoo: Hubble - On-line Astronomy project, where volunteers help to classify galaxies in space. More information.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Scientists Help Classify Faint Galaxies." Blog Posting.
SpaceWatchtower 2012 July 26.

Coulter, Dauna. "Citizen Scientists Making Incredible Discoveries."
NASA 2011 April 22.

"Total Amateurs Discover 'Green Pea' Galaxies."
Space.com 2009 July 27.

* GlobalXplorer - GlobalXplorer° is an online platform that uses the power of the crowd to analyze the incredible wealth of satellite images currently available to archaeologists. Launched by 2016 TED Prize winner and National Geographic Fellow, Dr. Sarah Parcak, as her “wish for the world,” GlobalXplorer° aims to bring the wonder of archaeological discovery to all, and to help us better understand our connection to the past.

Johnson, Joshua. "Sarah Parcak: The Indiana Jones of Low Earth Orbit." Radio Interview: "The 1A."
National Public Radio / WAMU-FM 88.5 Washington 2017 March 29.

* Global Telescope Network of Las Cumbres Observatory for professional research and citizen science.

* Globe at Night - Light pollution awareness project.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Scientists Accurately Measure Brightness of Night Sky." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2013 May 27.

* Great World Wide Star Count (in October of each year) - This international event encourages everyone to go outside, look skywards after dark, count the stars they see in certain constellations, and report what they see on-line.

* Space Weather: NASA HARP (Heliophysics Audified Resonances Plasma Project)

Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Science: Help NASA 'Listen' to the Solar Wind." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2023 May 22. First retrieved 2023 May 22.

* International Occultation Timing Association - Network of amateur astronomers volunteering their time for scientific research - recording observations of lunar and other occultations.

* Meteoroids - New App Helps NASA Keep Track of Meteoroids.

* The Milky Way Project aims to sort and measure our galaxy.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Scientists Reveal a Bubbly Milky Way." Blog Posting.
SpaceWatchtower 2012 March 31.

* NASA Citizen Science Projects regarding subjects such as the Universe, Solar System, Sun, and Moon.

* NASA International Space Apps Challenge:

Walsh, Glenn A. "NASA: 2013 International Space Apps Challenge." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2013 April 14.

Walsh, Glenn A. "2nd International Space Apps Challenge Launched by NASA." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2013 Jan. 30.

* NASA Globe Cloud Gaze - Help NASA scientists identify cloud types, cloud cover, and how blue the sky is at a given time.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Science: Help NASA Identify Clouds & Sky Color." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2021 Aug. 23. First retrieved 2021 Aug. 23.

* Planet Hunters looking for planets orbiting other stars.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Amateur Astronomers Discover 42 Alien Planets." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2013 Jan. 13.

* Planet Nine Search --- Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Science: Help NASA Find 'Planet Nine'." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2017 March 10.

* ANU Planet 9 Project - Planet Nine search in the Southern Hemisphere, sponsored by the Australia National Observatory (ANU).

Bryd, Deborah. "Another Planet 9 search! You can help."
EarthSky.org 2017 March 27.

* Pocket Spacecraft - Mission to the Moon - Would you like to send your own spacecraft to the moon ? We’ve developed a very low cost, open source, open access, mass space exploration system that anyone can use, and we need your help to send your very own Pocket Spacecraft, and thousands of others, on a first of its kind expedition to the moon.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Send Your Own Pocket Spacecraft to the Moon !" Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2013 June 28.

* SETI@home - When your Internet-connected computer is not being used, have the computer help search for radio signals coming from extraterrestial civilizations on other planets in the galaxy! More information.

* SETI LIVE - The SETI Institute, TED, and Zooniverse Launch SETI LIVE to Empower Citizen Scientists to Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.

* Satellite Streak Watcher - Document Satellite Streaks in Night Sky (NASA) ---

Walsh, Glenn A. "Have Smart-Phone? Help NASA Document Satellite Streaks in Night Sky." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2020 July 16. First retrieved 2020 Aug. 27.

* Solar Eclipse Citizen Science Projects ---

NASA Citizen Science Projects During the Eclipse Regarding Studies of the Sun and Earth & Earth's Environment (2024)

NASA Citizen Science Projects During the Eclipse Regarding Studies of Animal & Insect Behavior (2024)

Walsh, Glenn. "Citizen Science: Aug. 21 Great American Solar Eclipse Mega-Movie Project." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2017 July 24.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Great American Solar Eclipse: More Citizen Science Projects." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2017 Aug. 18.

* SpaceView Network - DARPA-created network of citizen observers to track orbital debris and possible satellite collisions in Earth orbit.

Walsh, Glenn A. "DARPA Asks Amateur Astronomers to Track Space Junk." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2012 Nov. 15.

* Space Warps Project - Massive galaxies warp space-time around themselves, bending light rays so that we can see around them. They're the Universe's own telescopes, but these gravitational lenses are very rare: we need your help to find them!

Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Science: 'Space Warp' Galaxies Search." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2013 May 12.

* Stardust@home, NASA - Volunteers help NASA to look for tiny interstellar dust impacts by searching photographs taken by NASA's Stardust Spacecraft. More information.

* Ultralight Starshade Structural Design Challenge (CHALLENGE DEADLINE: 2022 Aug. 22, 11:59 p.m. EDT / 2022 Aug. 23, 3:59 UTC) - “The Ultralight Starshade Structural Design Challenge asks participants to develop a lightweight starshade structure that could be used as part of the HOEE (Hybrid Observatory for Earth-like Exo-planets) concept."

Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Science: Help NASA Find Martian Clouds & Exo-Planets." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2022 July 27. First retrieved 2022 July 27.

* Zooniverse - A series of Astronomy and Meteorology Citizen Science projects -- Galaxy Zoo: Hubble * Mergers * Supernovae; Planet Hunters; The Milky Way Project; The Andromeda Project; Moon Zoo; Solar Stormwatch; and Old Weather.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Science: Help NASA Identify Clouds & Sky Color." Blog-Post. (Part of the Zooniverse Citizen Science Portal)
SpaceWatchtower 2021 Aug. 23. First retrieved 2021 Aug. 23.

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Weather / Environment Citizen Science Projects

* NASA Climate at Home Citizens Science Project, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center - To help determine the accuracy of a computer model that scientists use to predict climate change.

* NASA Earth Observatory, Globe Data Challenge - Cloud Challenge: Spring & Fall

Lin Erdman, Shelby. "NASA wants citizen scientists to take pictures of clouds; here's why."
Cox Media Group / WPXI-TV 11, Pittsburgh 2019 Oct. 9. 1st retrieved 2019 Oct. 9.

* Cloudspotting on Mars - NASA asks members of the general public to sort through data collected by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) to identify Martian clouds.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Science: Help NASA Find Martian Clouds & Exo-Planets." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2022 July 27. First retrieved 2022 July 27.

* Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network, Colorado Climate Center, Colorado State University - Network of volunteer weather watchers who report precipitation, which helps in weather forecasting, monitoring, and climate studies. More information.

* NASA Globe Cloud Gaze - Help NASA scientists identify cloud types, cloud cover, and how blue the sky is at a given time.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Science: Help NASA Identify Clouds & Sky Color." Blog-Post. (Part of the Zooniverse Citizen Science Portal)
SpaceWatchtower 2021 Aug. 23. First retrieved 2021 Aug. 23.

* Space Weather: NASA HARP (Heliophysics Audified Resonances Plasma Project) Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Science: Help NASA 'Listen' to the Solar Wind." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2023 May 22. First retrieved 2023 May 22.

* Precipitation Identification Near the Ground portable telephone application: iphone/Apple operating system *** Android operating system

"This App Uses The Power Of You To Report The Weather." Blog Post: All Tech Considered.
National Public Radio 2013 Feb. 12.

* SKYWARN Weather Spotters, National Weather Service, U.S. Department of Commerce - SKYWARN Weather Spotters watch out for severe weather in their neighborhood and report severe conditions to the local National Weather Service office by toll-free telephone number, amateur radio, or electronic mail. More information.

* U.S. Cooperative Weather Observer Program - National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Cooper, Caren. "The Citizen Science of Climate Change: We are not bystanders." Blog Post.
Scientific American Magazine 2013 Jan. 22.

* World Water Monitoring Day (September 18) - Monitor local bodies of water to help scientists protect world water resources.

* Zooniverse - A series of Astronomy and Meteorology Citizen Science projects -- Galaxy Zoo: Hubble * Mergers * Supernovae; Planet Hunters; The Milky Way Project; Moon Zoo; Solar Stormwatch; and Old Weather.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Science: Help NASA Identify Clouds & Sky Color." Blog-Post. (Part of the Zooniverse Citizen Science Portal)
SpaceWatchtower 2021 Aug. 23. First retrieved 2021 Aug. 23.

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Bird Watch Citizen Science Projects

* Birds In Forested Landscapes, Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology - Gathers information to help learn the habitat and conservation needs of forest-dwelling birds throughout North America.

* BirdSafe Pittsburgh - A partnership between 8 local conservation organizations working to research and reduce bird mortality in the Steel City. The project involves volunteers of all ages who help to collect data by documenting any lifeless or injured birds in the Greater Pittsburgh area. The organization particularly concentrates on the problem of birds flying into building windows, particularly windows of the many high-rise towers of Downtown and Oakland.

* BirdSleuth, Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology - Citizen Science specifically for middle school-aged students.

* CamClickr/ NestCams virtual citizen science project, Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology - On-line, volunteers look at archived bird images to help scientists by classifying bird breeding behaviors.

* Christmas Bird Count, National Audubon Society - An annual count or census of birds seen by citizen volunteers, during the Christmas holidays (begun in 1900). More information.

* Celebrate Urban Birds, Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology - Ten-minute bird observations in your urban neighborhood.

* Citizen Science Central of the Cornell University Lab of Ornithology.

* eBird, Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology - Bird Watchers contribute their observations to a worldwide database that helps scientists learn more about the many species of birds. More information.

* Female Bird Song Project - Help document their songs for biological collections.

Conners, Deanna. "The Female Bird Song Project."
EarthSky.org 2018 May 11.

* The Great Backyard Bird Count, Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology - Annual four-day event (count can be as short as 15 minutes on one day), to provide scientists with a "snapshot" of where birds are in North America at that one time in February.

* House Finch Disease Survey, Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology - Opportunity for members of the general public to help scientists track the spread of bird disease.

* Using Flowers to Attract Hummingbirds

* Lights-Out DC (Washington DC) - Lights Out DC volunteers walk a four-mile route in downtown Washington to inspect buildings and collect dead or injured migratory birds that have collided with glass. Injured birds are monitored and released (if recovered) or taken to City Wildlife’s rehabilitation center if their injuries are more severe. Dead birds are tagged and saved. Data on the birds found is collected and catalogued on a spreadsheet.

* Neighborhood Nestwatch, National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution, Washington - The Smithsonian's Neighborhood Nestwatch program provides an opportunity to be a biologist in your own backyard. Participants learn about birds and help scientists solve critical questions regarding the survival of backyard bird populations.

* Neighborhood Nestwatch, National Aviary, Pittsburgh - Recent addition to the successful Smithsonian Neighborhood Nestwatch program.

* NestCams, Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology - Monitoring bird nests to help learn more about bird breeding biology.

* Nestwatch, Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology - Monitoring bird nests to help learn more about bird breeding biology.

* Operation Rubythroat, National Aviary, Pittsburgh - Field trip where participants assist with the capture, banding, and close observation of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (RTHUs) in aloe vera plantations in northwestern Costa Rica (Field trip scheduled 2012 January 21 to 29.).

* Priority Migrant ebird, Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology - Collect information regarding migratory birds of conservation concern.

* Project FeederWatch, Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology - Winter-long survey of birds who visit backyard and community bird feeders, to learn about Winter bird habits, populations, and long-term trends.

* Project PigeonWatch, Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology - Watch and learn more about pigeons in your neighborhood.

* North American Bird Phenology Program - The North American Bird Phenology Program houses a unique and largely forgotten collection of six million Migration Observer Cards that illuminate migration patterns and population status of birds in North America. The information from this analysis will provide critical information on bird distribution, migration timing and migration pathways and how they are changing.

* Chimney Swifts - Help study and promote the conservation of Chimney Swifts.

* A Swift Night Out - Observe and report the number of swifts entering a roost on one particular night in August or September.

* Encyclopedia of Life - Help build the comprehensive on-line Encyclopedia of Life.

* Wildlife & Plant Sightings - Wildlife & Plant Sightings has the goal to organize & publish wildlife and plant sightings for enjoyment, education, and to aid conservation efforts: Wildlife (Bird, Insect, Mammal, Amphibian) and Plants.

* Wildlife Watch sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation.

* Witness for Wildlife (W4W) is a citizen naturalist community dedicated to chronicling and protecting North America's wildlife corridors.

National Audubon Society *** National Wildlife Federation: Citizen Science Programs

Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology: Cover Page * Citizen Science Projects

Cornell University Citizen Science Portal *** Cornell University Citizen Science Central

Wikipedia Page on Citizen Science

More Citizen Science News *** More Citizen Science Information.

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Butterfly / Firefly / Other Insects Citizen Science Projects

* North American Butterfly Association Butterfly Count

* Firefly Watch, Museum of Science, Boston - Help scientists count fireflies, also known as lightning bugs, in the late Spring and early Summer. You can help scientists determine if fireflies are disappearing.

* Lost Ladybug Project, Cornell University.

* Monarch Watch (Monarch Butterflies), Kansas Biological Survey, University of Kansas.

* National Moth Week - CITIZEN SCIENCE project where citizen scientists can help map moth distribution and provide needed information on other life history aspects around the globe (Last full week of July).

* The Great Sunflower Project - By watching and recording the bees at sunflowers in your garden, you can help us understand the challenges that bees are facing.

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* Encyclopedia of Life - Help build the comprehensive on-line Encyclopedia of Life.

* Wildlife & Plant Sightings - Wildlife & Plant Sightings has the goal to organize & publish wildlife and plant sightings for enjoyment, education, and to aid conservation efforts: Wildlife (Bird, Insect, Mammal, Amphibian) and Plants.

* Wildlife Watch sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation.

* Witness for Wildlife (W4W) is a citizen naturalist community dedicated to chronicling and protecting North America's wildlife corridors.

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Citizen Science Projects - Other Animals

* Encyclopedia of Life - Help build the comprehensive on-line Encyclopedia of Life.

* FrogWatch uses public reports of the calls of frogs and toads to assist in the conservation of these amphibians. Sponsored by the Akron Zoo. (Originally sponsored by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums).

* Virtual Field Study of Adélie Penguins as they breed - Follow daily pictures of Adélie Penguins as they raise their chicks. From November to January, classrooms take part in a virtual field study of Adélie Penguins as they breed, brood and rear their chicks in Antarctica. Photos of selected penguin families from Cape Royds Antarctica are posted to the website for students to follow on a daily basis. Weather data, event journal and background information about penguins is also provided. Students keep a field notebook gathering and analyzing their own data about each penguin family using the same process of the field biologist. This real time, long term activity provides students a window into the harshness of Adélie penguin life and the work of field scientists. Predation, competition and environmental challenges all affect the penguin’s ability to raise chicks. Witnessing these events themselves helps students begin to understand the world around them and the remote location of Antarctica. This project offers a real time daily field experience with outcomes we cannot predict. Go here for this Nest Check activity and many others about penguins. http://www.penguinscience.com/classroom_home.php.

* Use satellite imagery to count Weddell Seals in Antarctica! - Knowing ‘how many’ of any species is a challenge for researchers. In recent years satellites have been used, but there are so many pictures, we are asking classrooms to help. In this activity, students use satellite images taken over time, to see changes in the population of seals within and between seasons. There is background information on Weddell seals, a tutorial on how to count and a file of the images. New images posted every year provide a long-term data set on the Weddell Seal population in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. Go here for the activity http://z.umn.edu/seals. When you class has finished, send us your data.

* Project Squirrel - Just by taking a closer look at squirrel behavior we can all learn a lot from these furry urban inhabitants.

* Wildlife & Plant Sightings - Wildlife & Plant Sightings has the goal to organize & publish wildlife and plant sightings for enjoyment, education, and to aid conservation efforts: Wildlife (Bird, Insect, Mammal, Amphibian) and Plants.

* Wildlife Watch sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation.

* Witness for Wildlife (W4W) is a citizen naturalist community dedicated to chronicling and protecting North America's wildlife corridors.

* Great Lakes Worm Watch - There are several Asian species of earthworms in the genus “Amynthas” that are knocking on our doorstep and have the potential for very destructive impacts. Help stop their establishment.

* Bacteria on the Human Body - Belly Button Biodiversity Project

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Flowers / Plants Citizen Science Projects

* Project Budburst - Project BudBurst engages the public in making careful observations of the phenophases such as first leafing, first flower, and first fruit ripening of a diversity of trees, shrubs, flowers, and grasses in their local area.

* The Great Sunflower Project - By watching and recording the bees at sunflowers in your garden, you can help us understand the challenges that bees are facing.

^ Encyclopedia of Life - Help build the comprehensive on-line Encyclopedia of Life.

* Wildlife & Plant Sightings - Wildlife & Plant Sightings has the goal to organize & publish wildlife and plant sightings for enjoyment, education, and to aid conservation efforts: Wildlife (Bird, Insect, Mammal, Amphibian) and Plants.

* Wildlife Watch sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation.

* Witness for Wildlife (W4W) is a citizen naturalist community dedicated to chronicling and protecting North America's wildlife corridors.

* Using Flowers to Attract Hummingbirds

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Biology / Life Sciences Citizen Science Projects

* EteRNA - RNA molecule-folding: a revolutionary new computer game enabling you to contribute to important scientific research.

* foldit - Protein-folding: a revolutionary new computer game enabling you to contribute to important scientific research.

* The VerbCorner Project is aimed at determining what verbs mean. The purpose of this Cognitive Science project is to find a way to define verbs without referring to other words. They ask that volunteers go to their web site < http://gameswithwords.org/VerbCorner/ > and answer questions about sentences, with the answer to each question determining the presence or absence of a component of meaning. See also: 2013 May 21 News Release.

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Citizen Science Projects: Related Information and Links

National Audubon Society *** National Wildlife Federation: Citizen Science Programs

Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology: Cover Page * Citizen Science Projects

Cornell University Citizen Science Portal *** Cornell University Citizen Science Central

Citizen Science Projects: Cornell University (Birds) *** Science Friday *** NASA

Wikipedia Page on Citizen Science

More Citizen Science News *** More Citizen Science Information.

Walsh, Glenn A. "'How to' Science Fair Project Video Series from NASA." Blog Posting.
SpaceWatchtower 2012 Dec. 22.
The Pittsburgh Regional School Science and Engineering Fair, the third oldest Science Fair in the United States (the oldest regional Science Fair in a major metropolitan area; the two older fairs are state-wide fairs), originated at Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science in the Spring of 1940.

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Science Clubs, Societies, & Associations

International / National

Astronomy & Space Sciences

Planetaria / Science Museums

Other Sciences

Pittsburgh Region

Astronomy & Space Sciences -

American Lunar Society (NOT Defunct; currently, Pittsburgh chapter still operating.)

Tripoli Rocketry Association

Astronomical League
List of Local Astronomy Clubs Throughout U.S.A.
Harlow Shapley and Buhl Planetarium Assist in Creation of The Astronomical League

Royal Astronomical Society of Canada

Royal Astronomical Society (United Kingdom)

The Planetary Society

National Space Society

Young Astronauts Program (Went on hiatus after the attacks of 2001 September 11; eventually became defunct)
History of Program

American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO)

Association of Lunar & Planetary Observers (ALPO)

Astronomical Society of the Pacific

Royal Astronomical Society of Canada

American Astronomical Society

Astronomical Association of Northern California

Western Amateur Astronomers

American Meteor Society

Association of Astronomy Educators, an affiliate of the National Science Teaching Association

International Astronomical Union

Planetaria / Science Museums -

International Planetarium Society (IPS)

Great Lakes Planetarium Association (GLPA)

Middle Atlantic Planetarium Society (MAPS)

Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC)

Other Sciences -

American Association for the Advancement of Science

National Science Teaching Association

American Association of Physics Teachers

Institute of Physics

National Geographic Society

American Meteorological Society

National Science Foundation

The Royal Society (United Kingdom)

Pittsburgh Region

Amateur Science Clubs Which Had Regular Meetings at the Original Buhl Planetarium:
* Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh (AAAP)
* Amateur Transmitters Association of Western Pennsylvania (Defunct as of ~1996)
* Greater Pittsburgh Aquarium Society
* Mineral and Lapidary Society of Pittsburgh (Defunct as of ~2000))

Friends of the Zeiss

Save the Buhl

South Hills Backyard Astronomers(SHBA)

DeHaven Elementary School (Suburban Pittsburgh) Astronomy Club (1965 to 1966)

Shaler (suburban Pittsburgh) Junior High School Photography Club

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News on Citizen Science Projects

Walsh, Glenn A. "Once-in-Lifetime Bright Nova Star Visible by Naked-Eyes by End of Year." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2024 July 22. First retrieved 2024 July 22.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Photos: Total Solar Eclipse Viewed in Cleveland." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2024 June 8. First retrieved 2024 June 8.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Northern Lights Seen in Pittsburgh." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2024 May 15. First retrieved 2024 May 15.

Walsh, Glenn A. "U.S. Solar Eclipse April 8: Prepare for Safe Viewing." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2024 March 18. First retrieved 2024 March 18.
Regarding Solar Eclipse / Eclipse of the Sun of Friday, 2024 April 8.
Article includes information and Internet links regarding NASA Citizen Science projects during the Solar Eclipse / Eclipse of the Sun.

Walsh, Glenn A. "'The Night the Stars Fell' 190 Years Ago: Beginning of Citizen Science." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2023 Nov. 13. First retrieved 2023 Nov. 13.
First Citizen Science Project - Meteor Storm of 1833 Nov. 13.

Lea, Robert. "Citizen scientists detect patterns in clouds over Mars."
Space.com 2023 Nov. 6. First retrieved 2024 March 15.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Science: Help NASA 'Listen' to the Solar Wind." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2023 May 22. First retrieved 2023 May 22.

Good, Kenneth J., Former President of the Tripoli Rocketry Association.
"RE-SCHEDULED: Launch of Student Rocketeer Turned NASA Astronaut to Space Station." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2023 March 1. First retrieved 2023 March 1.

Good, Kenneth J., Former President of the Tripoli Rocketry Association.
"UPDATE: Student Rocketeer Turned NASA Astronaut Travels to Space Station." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2023 Feb. 27. First retrieved 2023 Feb. 27.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Science: Help NASA Find Exo-Planets." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2023 Feb. 8. First retrieved 2023 Feb. 8.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Science: Help NASA Find Martian Clouds & Exo-Planets." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2022 July 27. First retrieved 2022 July 27.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Science: Help NASA Identify Clouds & Sky Color." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2021 Aug. 23. First retrieved 2021 Aug. 23.

"Citizen scientists help create 3D map of local stellar neighborhood."
SpaceDaily.com 2021 Jan. 15. First retrieved 2021 Jan. 14.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Have Smart-Phone? Help NASA Document Satellite Streaks in Night Sky." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2020 July 16. First retrieved 2020 Aug. 27.

Walsh, Glenn A. "SpaceX Public, On-Line Simulator: Docking w/ Space Station." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2020 May 19. First retrieved 2020 Aug. 27.

Walsh, Glenn A. "NASA Contest: Help Design Mini Moon Rovers By June 8." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2020 May 12. First retrieved 2020 Aug. 27.

"Citizen Science: Help Document Your Changing Planet." Radio Feature.
ScienceFriday.com 2020 April 10. First retrieved 2020 April 10.

"Cooped Up At Home? Try These Citizen Science Projects." Radio Feature.
ScienceFriday.com 2020 April 3. First retrieved 2020 April 10.

Walsh, Glenn A. "NASA Public Design Contest: Venus Rover Obstacle Avoidance Sensor." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2020 March 16. First retrieved 2020 Aug. 27.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Public Invited to Vote to Name NASA's Mars 2020 Rover--By This Monday, Jan. 27." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2020 Jan. 23. First retrieved 2020 Aug. 27.

Lin Erdman, Shelby. "NASA wants citizen scientists to take pictures of clouds; here's why."
Cox Media Group / WPXI-TV 11, Pittsburgh 2019 Oct. 9. 1st retrieved 2019 Oct. 9.

Wells, Sarah. "Citizen Scientists Are Helping Find Alien Planets in NASA's TESS Data."
Space.com 2019 Aug. 15. First accessed 2019 Aug. 15.

Carter, Jamie. "NASA Publishes Stunning New 'Jupiter Marble' Image Created By 'Citizen Scientist'."
Forbes Magazine 2019 March 22.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Science Experiments Children & Teens Can Do At Home !" Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2018 June 5.

Conners, Deanna. "The Female Bird Song Project."
EarthSky.org 2018 May 11.

"Amateur Astronomer Captures First Moment of A Supernova."
SpaceRef.com 2018 Feb. 26.

Daley, Jason. "Amateur Astronomer Finds Long-Lost NASA Satellite."
Smithsonian Magazine 2018 Jan. 29.

"Citizen Scientists Discover Five-Planet System."
SpaceRef.com 2018 Jan. 11.

Cowing, Keith. "Citizen Scientist Spots Comet Tails Streaking past Distant Star."
SpaceRef.com 2017 Oct. 26.

Raz, Guy. "TED Radio Hour: Citizen Science." Radio Program.
National Public Radio 2017 Sept. 29.

Atkinson, Nancy. "Hey Citizen Scientists! Help NASA Analyze Images Taken from the Space Station."
UniverseToday.com 2017 Sept. 28.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Great American Solar Eclipse Early Mega-Movie & Balloon Images." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2017 Aug. 26.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Great American Solar Eclipse: More Citizen Science Projects." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2017 Aug. 18.

Walsh, Glenn. "Citizen Science: Aug. 21 Great American Solar Eclipse Mega-Movie Project." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2017 July 24.

Kelvey, Jon. "How to Be a Two-Minute Scientist on Eclipse Day."
Air and Space Smithsonian Magazine 2017 July 21.
Includes a survey of several Citizen Science projects available for public participation during the Great American Solar Eclipse on August 21.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Science: Another Way to Help Scientists Search Our Universe." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2017 May 10.
A Citizen Science project, Astronomy Rewind, has recently been unveiled, asking for help from the public to restore decades-old astronomy photographs.

Boyle, Alan. "Citizen scientists star in public TV’s ‘The Crowd and the Cloud,’ premiering online."
GeekWire.com 2017 March 31.

Johnson, Joshua. "Sarah Parcak: The Indiana Jones of Low Earth Orbit." Radio Interview: "The 1A."
National Public Radio / WAMU-FM 88.5 Washington 2017 March 29.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Public Invited to Search for Planets in Other Star Systems." Blog-Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2017 March 27.
A huge data-set has been released on the Internet, by a team led by the Carnegie Institution for Science (a.k.a. Carnegie Institution of Washington), inviting the public to help in the search for exo-planets, planets outside of our Solar System.

Bryd, Deborah. "Another Planet 9 search! You can help."
EarthSky.org 2017 March 27.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Science: Help NASA Find 'Planet Nine'." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2017 March 10.

Shalaway, Dr. Scott. "You Can Be A Conservationist." Column: "The Wild Side."
The Intelligencer and Wheeling News-Register, Wheeling WV 2016 Sept. 25.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Scientists Name 14 Stars & 31 Exo-Planets." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2015 Dec. 18.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Name an Exo-Planet by Oct. 31." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2015 Oct. 14.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Science: Smart Phone App to Detect Cosmic Rays." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2015 Aug. 19.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Public: Help Name Pluto & Charon Surface Features, New U.S. Rocket." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2015 March 30.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Science: International Space Apps Challenge." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2015 March 11.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Amateur Astronomers Find Plumes High in Martian Atmosphere." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2015 Feb. 17.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Help Design Manned Spacecraft to Mars!" Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2014 Sept. 25.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Amateur Astronomers See Comet ISON." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2013 Sept. 26.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Send Your Own Pocket Spacecraft to the Moon !" Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2013 June 28.

Walsh, Glenn A. "NASA: Public 'Grand Challenge' to Find Asteroid Threats to Earth." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2013 June 19.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Scientists Accurately Measure Brightness of Night Sky." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2013 May 27.

"New collaboration: "The VerbCorner Project"." News Release: GamesWithWords.org
Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2013 May 21.
See also: The VerbCorner Project.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Science: 'Space Warp' Galaxies Search." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2013 May 12.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Amateur Astronomers Spot Missing Russian Mars Lander." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2013 April 15.

Walsh, Glenn A. "NASA: 2013 International Space Apps Challenge." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2013 April 14.

"NASA Student Mars Project Wins Education Award." News Release.
NASA 2013 Feb. 21.

"This App Uses The Power Of You To Report The Weather." Blog Post: All Tech Considered.
National Public Radio 2013 Feb. 12.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Amateur Astronomers Enhance M106 Pic From Hubble Space Telescope." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2013 Feb. 6.

Walsh, Glenn A. "2nd International Space Apps Challenge Launched by NASA." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2013 Jan. 30.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Amateur Astronomers Use Microlensing to Find Exo-Planets." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2013 Jan. 29.

Cooper, Caren. "The Citizen Science of Climate Change: We are not bystanders." Blog Post.
Scientific American Magazine 2013 Jan. 22.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Amateur Astronomers Discover 42 Alien Planets." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2013 Jan. 13.

Walsh, Glenn A. "'How to' Science Fair Project Video Series from NASA." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2012 Dec. 22.
The Pittsburgh Regional School Science and Engineering Fair, the third oldest Science Fair in the United States (the oldest regional Science Fair in a major metropolitan area; the two older fairs are state-wide fairs), originated at Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science in the Spring of 1940.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Your Help Needed to Study Andromeda Galaxy." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2012 Dec. 10.

Walsh, Glenn A. "DARPA Asks Amateur Astronomers to Track Space Junk." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2012 Nov. 15.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Planet Hunters: Kepler Space Telescope Data Now Available." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2012 Oct. 30.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Amateur Astronomers Find 'Tatooine' Planet with 2 Suns." Blog Posting.
SpaceWatchtower 2012 Oct. 15.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Scientists Help Classify Faint Galaxies." Blog Posting.
SpaceWatchtower 2012 July 26.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Citizen Scientists Reveal a Bubbly Milky Way." Blog Posting.
SpaceWatchtower 2012 March 31.

Coulter, Dauna. "Citizen Scientists Making Incredible Discoveries."
NASA 2011 April 22.

"Total Amateurs Discover 'Green Pea' Galaxies."
Space.com 2009 July 27.

And: More Citizen Science News *** More Citizen Science Information.

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Return to Frequently Asked

Authored By Glenn A. Walsh *** Sponsored By Friends of the Zeiss
Electronic Mail: < citizenscience@planetarium.cc > *** Internet Web Site Cover Page: < http://www.planetarium.cc >
This Internet Web Page: < https://buhlplanetarium2.tripod.com/FAQ/citizenscience.html >
SpaceWatchtower Blog
2009 May

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