225k views
3 votes
Given an example of a citizen science dataset covered in class. How was geospatial technology used?

1 Answer

4 votes

Final answer:

The Galaxy Zoo project is an example of a citizen science dataset, where volunteers use geospatial technologies like remote sensing and GIS to classify galaxies from satellite imagery.

Step-by-step explanation:

An example of a citizen science dataset discussed in class is the Galaxy Zoo project. In this project, volunteers use geospatial technologies, such as GIS and remote sensing, to classify galaxies. They receive images captured by satellites in Earth's orbit and other astronomical observation methods, which they then evaluate to distinguish between different spiral galaxies and other celestial phenomena. This task is uniquely suited to human eyes, which recognize subtle differences more effectively than computers alone, leading to significant contributions in the field of astronomy.

Geospatial technology used in this context includes satellite imagery, which falls under remote sensing technology, allowing volunteers to observe and classify galaxies. Geospatial tools here enabled citizen scientists to contribute to large-scale data analysis, which helped map vast areas of the universe and even identify new types of galaxies. In a broader sense, GIS and remote sensing play crucial roles in cartography and understanding land use changes, which are applications also relevant in geography and environmental studies.

User Anver Sadhat
by
8.6k points