Hunt For Asteroids From The Comfort of Your Armchair

AsteroidZoo want your help in the search for unknown asteroids.

The study of the asteroids helps us understand how planets and the basis for life form and evolve. Since no significant geological processes have taken place on these small bodies, the asteroids preserve a history of the Solar System in a way that the planets do not. These minor bodies contain relics of the conditions of the early Solar System. In 1994, Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 slammed into Jupiter, leaving scars larger than the earth on the giant planet. We have evidence of other impacts on our planet, even within the last 100 years. As the events of February 15th, 2013 show in videos and photos from Chelyabinsk, Russia, occasionally one of the asteroids will impact our planet. Improving the detection efficiency of existing surveys is an excellent way to increase the number of asteroid detections. Asteroids may represent a resource that will bring the Solar System within humanity’s economic sphere of influence. These resources may be the key to unlocking human expansion from Earth into the Solar System, providing propellant for transportation, oxygen for breathing, water for hydration, shielding from solar radiation, and supporting other aspects of life and industry. In addition to these lifelines, asteroids provide the raw material for manufacturing in space, from iron, nickel and cobalt present in staggering quantities, to an abundant supply of the extremely useful and valuable platinum group metals. Just as resources have opened up the frontiers of Earth, they will again do so for the frontiers of space.

Im already hooked, its very easy to use, you'll be up and running in 60 seconds.
Wouldnt it be fantastic to discover a new asteroid?
Here's the link Asteroid Zoo

a reply to: SecretKnowledge

Wouldnt it be fantastic to discover a new asteroid?

Yep, especially if you find one on the collision course with Earth and big enough to kill us all.
How would you feel if killer asteroid is named by you?

I wonder if we all get a cut of the profits from Planetary Resources since we'd be essentially working for them for free

Joking of course. I know a guy who works for them. Cool people.

a reply to: zilebeliveunknown

How would i feel if i named it?
Absolutely fine mate, why wouldnt i be?
At least i'd have found it then maybe we can do something about altering its course.

a reply to: SecretKnowledge
Cool.
But do we really want to find an asteroid capable to wipe out life on this planet?
Because I'm sure any technology for altering the asteroid's course is still pretty much sci-fi.

Signed up to the Zoo network back when they released the exoplanet hunt, time to get busy again!

originally posted by: zilebeliveunknown
a reply to: SecretKnowledge
Cool.
But do we really want to find an asteroid capable to wipe out life on this planet?
Because I'm sure any technology for altering the asteroid's course is still pretty much sci-fi.

Actually such technology is not sci-fi and much more mundane than you might think.

You might even have a bucket of it in your house.

White paint.

Wasn't that something to do with the light(?) being reflected from the paint exerts a minute force on the asteroid?
Or have I just made that up...?

Posted this yesterday..
Save the world.. LOL

a reply to: UKWO1Phot

I didnt see that you posted it, i only read my emails yesterday.
Obviously you read yours the day before.
I received mine from The Sky At Night team

Anyhow how are you finding it? i think its a great idea, i'd love to discover a new asteroid.

a reply to: SecretKnowledge

I find they are easier to see when you invert the colours.
I've noticed they put a few known ones in the mix to see if you notice them.
I've found 1 unknown so far but have heard nothing back yet. I've also noticed after about 10 images my laptop starts to slow down, not sure why so restrict to about 20 images a session.

Good luck with your searches..

This is crazy!
I just tried this asteroid hunting...
Universe is full of spaceships flying chaotically, they may seem like asteroids but I'm not sure if asteroids can change their courses.