Asteroid Data Hunter (Photo : www.topcoder.com)
Citizen scientists and amateur astronomers can now detect and find a potentially hazardous heavenly body while at home through a new software that operates through a NASA developed algorithm.
In partnership with Planetary Resources, a firm that mines asteroids, NASA was able to come up with a software that combines multiple algorithms developed during its Asteroid Data Hunter challenge, the Space reported.
Chris Lewicki, the president and chief engineer of the Planetary Resources, said "We applaud all the participants in the Asteroid Data Hunter challenge," NASA wrote. "We are extremely encouraged by the algorithm created, and it's already making a difference. This increase in knowledge will help assess more quickly, which asteroids are potential threats, human destinations or resource-rich," he added.
The data hunter contest series, which was held in 2014, was announced during the Southwest Festival. It offered $55, 000 worth of awards for the participants to come up with a significantly improved algorithm that can be used to identify asteroids in photos taken by ground telescopes. The winning formulas were combined to come up with an application that can increase detection sensitivity, ignore data imperfections, minimize false positive issues, and run on any computer system.
Jason Kessler, NASA's program executive for the Asteroid Grand Challenge said, "The challenge to come up with an Asteroid Data Hunter program has been successful beyond what we have hoped for, creating something that makes a significant difference to amateur asteroid hunting astronomers and highlights the possibility for more people to play a role in protecting our planet."
The new algorithm has allowed amateur astronomers to utilize computers rapidly and autonomously determine which items require a follow-up.
