ADASSX

Search and observations of asteroids in citizen science projects
2025-08-04 , Online speaker

Citizen science is a form of participation and collaboration that actively involves non-scientists in scientific research. It is used in a wide range of areas, including ecology, medicine and astronomy. In recent years, citizen science has emerged as a powerful tool in astronomical research, enabling people from all over the world, regardless of their age, nationality or gender, to contribute to real scientific discoveries. In the field of asteroid search and observation, citizen scientists can currently help professional astronomers in three projects: International Astronomical Search Collaboration (IASC), The Daily Minor Planet (TDMP), and Come on! Impacting ASteroids (COIAS). This is particularly evident in the context of Planetary Defense, where detection and tracking of Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) are critical for assessing potential impact threats. The talk is an attempt to analyze these projects and presents a first-hand experience from an active participant involved in each of them. This work shows my observations, research and discoveries of minor planets as a citizen scientist. The presentation will cover different types of asteroids, including Main-Belt Asteroids, Near-Earth Objects, Jupiter Trojans and Trans-Neptunian objects, illustrating how citizen science contributes to our broader understanding of the Solar System dynamics.

Maria Wicher – Science communicator, enthusiast of astronomy and planetary geology, discoverer of over 320 minor planets with the provisional status in citizen science projects. Member of the Polish Astrobiological Society and the Polish Society of Amateur Astronomers. Space educator and high school student. Actively popularizes knowledge about space, astrobiology and planetary defense, combining science with passion. A committed volunteer of the Planetarium – Silesian Science Park.