MicroObservatory Challenge
For this challenge, you will need to process astronomical image data that you collect yourself from MicroObservatory telescopes. Submit your processed images to the challenge, and your work may be selected as a standout entry to receive feedback from NASA scientists!
Watch the video below for a runthrough of what you will do to participate in the MicroObservatory Challenge. For more detailed instructions, check out the What to do section.
Follow the instructions below for each of the four steps. First you will capture your own real-time telescope image, then you'll create your own image using the JS9-4L image-processing tool, then you'll compare your processed image to a NASA-processed image, and finally you'll submit your processed image to the MicroObservatory Challenge.
Step 1: Capture Your Image
- Go to the Control Telescope page of the Observing with NASA website.
- Find , and then click the Observe button below it.
- Fill out the necessary fields, and then submit your image request.
- Your image will be captured tonight by a MicroObservatory telescope, and emailed to you sometime tomorrow.
- Start processing your image data in Step 2.
Step 2: Create Your Image
- The day after you request your image of , you'll get an email from microobservatorysupport@cfa.harvard.edu. Download your image to your device.
- Open the Challenge Edition of JS9-4L to begin processing your image.
- Open your image using the Image dropdown.
- Use the processing tools included with JS9-4L to enhance your image. Get creative!
- When you're done, save your image to your device as either a JPEG or PNG file.
Step 3: Compare Your Image
- Find a NASA-processed image of from Astropix to compare with the image you processed.
- Write a comparison between your image and NASA's image of . You'll include this comparison when you submit your image in Step 4.
Step 4: Submit Your Image
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Make sure you've already processed an image of .
Just starting? Go back to Step 1. -
In order to enter the MicroObservatory Challenge, you will need:
- • A JPG/PNG file for your own processed image of
- • A written description of how you processed your image
- • A URL from Astropix for one of NASA's images of
- • A written comparison of the two images
- Submit your processed images to the MicroObservatory Challenge.
While you're at it, why not share your images on Facebook and Twitter too!
Use the hashtag #AstrophotoChallenges, and mention us at @MicroObs or @MicroObservatory.
VideoWhat to doExperts discuss targetStandout entries
Expert astronomers take a close look at Eta Carinae and to explore what these objects are, where you can find them, and what different wavelengths reveal. The three experts we meet in this video are Dr. Rudolfo Montez, Dr. Joy Nichols, and Dr. Nathan Smith.
MicroObservatory Challenge
VideoWhat to doExperts discuss targetStandout entries
We highlight a number of standout entries from each of the past seasons of NASA's Astrophoto Challenges. Click through the image thumbnails below to read expert feedback to participants from NASA scientists.
MicroObservatory Challenge
Choose from past seasons of the MicroObservatory Challenge below.
See standout entries for
the NASA Data Challenge
Advika B.
Angel F.
Dana O.
Elizabeth C.
Hasan R.
Jayna S.
Jhon S.
Kenzo S.
Michelle G.
Natasha B.
Nilay B.
Sanjith M.
Sarah A.
Shelburne Summer Camp Young Girls Group
Shivi M.
Shva S.
Stephanie B.
Tom H.
Lightened Carina Nebula by Advika B.
VLT
Carina amidst the dark by Angel F.
Hubble
My My My My Carina by Dana O.
ESO VISTA and VIRCAM
The Frigid Unknown by Elizabeth C.
Chandra and Hubble
Hasan's Carina Nebula by Hasan R.
Curtis-Schmidt
The Astonishing Carina Nebula by Jayna S.
Chandra
Jhon's Carina Nebula by Jhon S.
VLT
Xray image of the Eta Catarinae nebula by Kenzo S.
Chandra
Careening Carina by Natasha B.
APEX
Nilay's Carina Nebula by Nilay B.
CTIO
The Amazing Nebula by Sanjith M.
Curtis-Schmidt
Heart Among The Stars by Sarah A.
SPECULOOS Southern Observatory
Cool Nebula by Shelburne Summer Camp Young Girls Group.
SPECULOOS Southern Observatory
Zooming in on the Carina by Shivi M.
Somethingness by Shva S.
ESO-Danish-1.54m
Purple Haze by Stephanie B.
Curtis-Schmidt
This image of Carfina Nebula would astound Lacaille by Tom H.
SPECULOOS Southern Observatory
Adam B.
Aditi B.
Amal B.
Dinky T.
Duarte G.
Francisco V.
Josselyn M.
Julissa D.
Mahdi S.
Maylin L.
Melia M.
Skylar M.
Swapnil P.
Tyler C.
Varsha S. K.
Yang C.
M87 Inferno by Adam B.
VLT
Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder by Aditi B.
VLT
Amal's M87 Galaxy by Amal B.
Hubble
Galactic Electrostatic by Dinky T.
VLBA
12,000 'Pixels' (Globular Clusters) Lighting by Duarte G.
Spitzer
Francisco's M87 Galaxy by Francisco V.
Hubble
Josselyn's M87 Galaxy by Josselyn M.
Chandra
Julissa's M87 Galaxy by Julissa D.
Chandra
Sam87 by Mahdi S.
Spitzer
Maylin's M87 Galaxy by Maylin L.
Spitzer
Unusual Daydream by Melia M.
Spitzer
Dormamu by Skylar M.
VLT
Swapnil's M87 Galaxy by Swapnil P.
VLT
Tyler's M87 Galaxy by Tyler C.
Hubble
Bizarre Wilderness by Varsha S. K.
VLT
Yang's M87 Galaxy by Yang C.
Chandra
Aaliyah
Aidan H.
Alexandra M.
Billy
Chris
Daniel O.
Dhairya P.
Eberhard S.
Ella
Harper
Ji Yoon
Maryann F.
Robert W.
Tamariya H.
Tiffany
Venkatakrishnan
Pretty by Aaliyah
Chandra
Colorburst by Aidan H.
Chandra
Dancing in the Wind by Alexandra M.
WISE
Billy's M82 Galaxy by Billy
Hubble
Heat Map of M82 by Chris
NuSTAR
A Lucky Strike in the Sky by Daniel O.
Spitzer
M82 Black Hole Image by Dhairya P.
Chandra
Spatial Look at M82 by Eberhard S.
Hubble
Pixelated Galaxy by Ella
Hubble
Polaroids of the Sky by Harper
Spitzer
Ji Yoon's M82 Galaxy by Ji Yoon
Hubble
Maryann's M82 Galaxy by Maryann F.
Hubble
M82, What a Hot Messier by Robert W.
Hubble
Watermelon by Tamariya H.
Spitzer
She Is Beauty, She Is Grace by Tiffany
Hubble
M82 Irregular Galaxy by Venkatakrishnan
Hubble
Adriana B.
Alec G.
Alireza K.
Claire C.
Darin S.
Dona M.
Eric P.
Mando S.
Maryann F.
Michelle P.
Mooneesah A.
Pawan T.
Rachel S.
Risha S.
L. Xinyi
Dusty Spirals by Adriana B.
NRAO
Crisp Night by Alec G.
Hubble
Shining Blue by Alireza K.
WISE
Claire's Whirlpool Galaxy by Claire C.
Hubble
Unprofessional Whirlpool Galaxy by Dona M.
WISE
NGC 5194 by Eric P.
Spitzer
Astro Pool by Maryann F.
Hubble
Galactic Dandelions by Michelle P.
Chandra
Mooneesah's Whirlpool Galaxy by Mooneesah A.
Hubble
Bahvar by Pawan T.
Chandra
The Draining Whirlpool by Rachel S.
Chandra
Forthright by Risha S.
Hubble
An Elegant Seahorse by L. Xinyi
NRAO
Ainsley H.
Annie L.
Claire D.
Costanza S.
Ivan N.
Jesus S.
Kinia K.
Magdalena S.
Rachel Z.
The Regal Lagoon by Ainsley H.
Hubble
Annie's Lagoon Nebula by Annie L.
Hubble
Center of the Lagoon Nebula by Claire D.
Hubble
Gaseous Aspects of the Lagoon Nebula by Costanza S.
Hubble
A Cradle of Stars by Ivan N.
Hubble
Jesus's Lagoon Nebula by Jesus S.
Hubble
Kinibula by Kinia K.
Hubble
Super Cute Lagoon Nebula by Magdalena S.
Hubble
Rachel's Lagoon Nebula by Rachel Z.
Hubble
When did this season end?
The season ended on .
We have reviewed all submissions to NASA's Astrophoto Challenges, and have posted standout entries on the MicroObservatory Challenge and NASA Data Challenge pages.
Follow our Twitter or Facebook pages to get updates whenever standout entries are posted.
What about past seasons?
You can still work with NASA data from past Challenges! Head to the Challenges Archive of JS9-4L, where you will find NASA image files among the Archived Images for all of the past seasons.
Want to see what others have done with image data? Check out standout entries from past Challenges on the MicroObservatory Challenge and NASA Data Challenge pages.