Exploring the Cosmos: Radio Galaxy Zoo

Welcome to a fascinating journey through space as we delve into the world of Radio Galaxy Zoo (RGZ). This innovative project, operated by the popular citizen science platform Zooniverse, invites individuals like you to become astronomers for a day. Our goal? To locate the elusive supermassive black holes hidden in distant galaxies!

The Mission: Hunting Black Hole/Jet Pairs

By analyzing images of distant galaxies, we aim to identify pairs consisting of black holes and their associated jets. These pairs can provide us with crucial insights into the evolution and behavior of supermassive black holes at various stages. By aggregating a massive amount of classifications provided by citizen scientists, we hope to construct a comprehensive understanding of these cosmic giants and their origin.

The Genesis: A Collaborative Effort

The Radio Galaxy Zoo project was conceived in 2010 by Ray Norris in collaboration with the Zooniverse team. It was primarily motivated by the upcoming Evolutionary Map of the Universe survey, which would reveal millions of extragalactic radio sources. Today, RGZ is spearheaded by scientists Julie Banfield and Ivy Wong.

Operation and Timeline

RGZ officially commenced operations on 17 December 2013 and ceased collecting new classifications on 1 May 2019. While we are no longer actively seeking your help with new observations, the data collected remains invaluable for our ongoing research.

Join us in this exciting exploration of the cosmos as we unravel the mysteries of black holes and their role in shaping the universe. Together, we will make groundbreaking discoveries that expand our understanding of the celestial realm!