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Citizen Science

Using the collective observational insights of the general public, citizen science opens the door to unique research with Rubin Observatory and engages the public in cutting edge science. Rubin Observatory is facilitating crowd science projects with a pipeline directly from the Rubin Science Platform to the Zooniverse, a popular platform.

Explore and participate in projects while we await the arrival of Rubin observations and projects in 2025.

For scientists interested in becoming a future Principal Investigator of a project, our pipeline is still under development and we welcome your insights and suggestions.

Please check back soon as we further develop resources here, fill our “expression of interest” form and reach out to us at cscience@lsst.org

FAQ

How to use the pipeline?

We will release a PI Guide with all the details soon - Stay tuned!

Who will be able to become a PI?

Anyone with Rubin data rights

I have an idea now, what can I do to prepare?

Great! Please fill out our expressions of interest survey and indicate you’d like to be an early tester. You can get started on designing and mocking up your project as we all eagerly await Rubin observations.

What’s the timeline?

The Rubin timeline is available here with first light available in 2024. Before then, we invite you to design and test a project (fill out our expression of interest survey) and check back here for updates and more information.

Our partnership with Zooniverse

We knew that public participation in science would be a huge part of Rubin Observatory's success, so we partnered with Zooniverse, the largest and most popular platform where everyone can get involved. With our input, the team at Zooniverse has made it easy for researchers to build projects that use Rubin data. That means there are lots of Rubin science projects for you to get involved with, and your help will contribute to cutting-edge astronomy and astrophysics discoveries!

Zooniverse is more than a work space—it’s a community. Ask questions or have conversations about the work you’re doing together and participate at any level that’s comfortable for you. Each project gives you the information and guidance you need to make a meaningful contribution, no prior training required. Give it a try, and have fun!