Ever thought about discovering black holes using your smartphone? Now it's a reality. The Dutch Black Hole Consortium, a group of scientists dedicated to finding new black holes, has recently introduced an innovative app called Black Hole Finder.
This free-to-use tool invites everyday people to step into the role of an astronomer, helping to uncover new black holes by analysing real telescope data. Whether you're on Android, iOS, or using a web browser, Black Hole Finder offers an engaging way to explore the universe and contribute to scientific discovery.
According to its Google Play Store listing, Black Hole Finder allows users to "explore the universe and learn more about these mysterious and fascinating objects." The app leverages real data from telescopes and other astronomical sources, enabling users to assist scientists in identifying potential black holes. It features images captured by the BlackGEM telescope array in Chile, which scans the skies for cosmic events known as ‘kilonovas.’
The app has recently expanded its accessibility by adding support for languages such as Spanish, German, Chinese, Italian, Polish, and Bengali, broadening its reach to a global audience.
After a brief tutorial, users learn how to differentiate between genuine, false, and unknown transients. Once through the tutorial, the app displays images taken by the telescopes just 15 minutes after capture. Users then decide whether the photo shows a kilonova or a false positive. This information is fed into a machine learning system that is fine-tuned to detect the birth of black holes. Steven Bloemen, the project manager for the telescopes, noted that "people are much better at identifying patterns than our algorithms." He also mentioned that user contributions are crucial in improving their algorithms' ability to "distinguish between real and false sources," as reported by space.com.
For those who are particularly dedicated, the app offers a "Super User" status for individuals who identify 1,000 transients. This status grants users the ability to request follow-up observations for transients that are less than 16 hours old, further deepening their involvement in this exciting frontier of space exploration.
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