Who can participate?
Anyone who can safely observe an open part of the evening sky and report honestly can contribute. No telescope is needed. Experienced visual, meteor, variable-star, comet, occultation, or planetary observers can also help refine the protocol and train local groups.
Required equipment
- Unaided vision; ordinary corrective lenses are allowed.
- A phone with microphone, clock, and location permission.
- A safe observing place with a reasonably open sky view.
Optional equipment
An SQM or SQM-L meter, weather instruments, extinction estimates, or a stable club observing site can add valuable context. None is required for a valid basic observation.
How clubs can help
- Recruit several observers for the same clear evening.
- Provide a stable dark, suburban, or urban observing site.
- Help observers use synchronized clocks without discussing detections during the session.
- Repeat the protocol in different seasons and atmospheric conditions.
- Review the methodology and suggest practical improvements.
Why coordinated observations matter
Several blinded observers at one site let researchers separate human variability from changing atmospheric conditions. Repeated sessions at the same site help test whether the physical model behaves consistently across stars, seasons, climates, and levels of skyglow.
The research record
The voice-first system preserves the sequence from last confirmed non-detection through possible glimpse, confirmation, and continuous visibility. The original timed audio, selected target, available alternatives, selection reason, conditions, and model version remain available for review.
The goal is not to prove the model correct. It is to collect independent evidence that reveals where the model succeeds, where it fails, and how it should be improved.
Read the full research protocol →
Clubs interested in a coordinated session can use the feedback button to contact the project team.