Now, you can explore the universe and help scientists discover black holes right from your smartphone! The Dutch Black Hole Consortium has launched a new app called Black Hole Finder, allowing anyone with an Android, iOS device, or web browser to participate in the search for black holes by analyzing real telescope data.
What is Black Hole Finder?
Black Hole Finder is a free app that turns everyday users into amateur astronomers. The app uses real data from telescopes, including images from the BlackGEM telescope array in Chile, which captures cosmic events known as kilonovas. Users help identify potential black holes by reviewing these images and distinguishing between genuine phenomena, false positives, and unknown transients.
How to Use the App
After a short tutorial, users can start analyzing images taken just 15 minutes prior by telescopes. You’ll help determine whether an image shows a kilonova or a false positive, and this data is fed into a machine learning system that’s being refined to better detect black holes. According to Steven Bloemen, the project manager, human contributions are crucial as people are better at pattern recognition than current algorithms.
Additional Features
Global Accessibility : The app is now available in multiple languages, including Spanish, German, Chinese, Italian, Polish, and Bengali. Super User Status : Users who identify 1,000 transients earn “Super User” status, granting them the ability to request follow-up observations for recent transients, further contributing to black hole discovery.
This innovative app provides a unique way for people worldwide to participate in space exploration and scientific discovery.
