Return to Do NASA Science LIVE! / Cosmic Pioneers
Cosmic Pioneers: Discovering Galaxies Together
Meet the scientist behind Dark Energy Explorers and learn how to look deep into space for galaxies and black holes
Welcome hosts and facilitators!
We’re so glad you’re hosting an in-person gathering to stream our Do NASA Science LIVE! virtual event, featuring the citizen science project Dark Energy Explorers.
Together on February 11, 2026, we will meet the scientist behind Dark Energy Explorers. The project is designed to look deep into space for galaxies and black holes. Your participation will help scientists make the largest map of the universe yet and better understand dark energy.
As a host, you must register for this event to receive the Zoom link to join. Your guests do not need to register independently.
The below toolkit is designed to orient you to the project and help you prepare to host a successful in-person event in your space.
Welcome from the Project Leader
Project SCientist
Lindsay House
Project Leader
LIVE Event
February 11, 2026:
3:30 PM PT / 6:30 PM ET
Event Duration: 1 hour
Project Description
In the citizen science project Dark Energy Explorers, you will help measure dark energy when the universe was just about 2-3 billion years old. you will be trained to identify the real galaxies from the fake ones which will allow the team to conduct the dark energy science. You may be the first person to ever see these galaxies. The scientists can then use those identifications as a pure training set for machine learning!
You can learn how to participate in the project alongside your audience, or explore it ahead of time if you’d like. Learn more about the project here.
Technology Needed to Host This Event
This event is a livestream through Zoom. Participants at your site will watch and listen together while joining activities on their own devices (phones, tablets, or laptops).
To fully participate, please plan for the following:
- A computer (laptop or desktop)
- Used to log into Zoom and share the livestream with the group
- Reliable internet connection (wired is best, if available)
- Large display for group viewing
- A projector and screen or a large TV/monitor
- HDMI (or appropriate) cable to connect the computer to the display
- Sound for the room
- External speakers, TV speakers, or a projector with built-in audio
- Sounds should be loud enough for the whole room, test with audience upon the start of the event.
- Participant Devices
- Notify your guests ahead of time if they need to bring their own device or if you will supply them.
- Ensure your guests have access to the wifi at the host location.
- Use our printable instructions to help your audience set up their accounts to participate before or during the event.
Strongly Recommended: A stable internet connection is important for a smooth experience. If possible, avoid public or heavily restricted Wi-Fi. We recommend testing Zoom audio and video on your computer before the event to be sure everything looks and sounds good.
Facilitation Support
- Create a Free SciStarter Account: SciStarter.org/login. For participants under 13, an adult should set up a family account.
- Sign up for Zooniverse at Zooniverse.org.
- Return to SciStarter.org and click the dropdown icon next to your profile name and select “My Info & Settings” to visit your SciStarter Dashboard.
- Add your Zooniverse username to the “affiliate integration” box to start tracking contributions.
- Visit the Dark Energy Explorers page on Zooniverse to get started on a workflow. Before you work on real data, make sure to look through the brief tutorial.
- Start identifying galaxies! Do as little or as many as you’d like.
You can print these instructions out for your guests to complete when they arrive.
If someone shares misinformation
You don’t need to debate or correct everything. You can say, “There’s a lot of information out there, and it can be confusing,” or simply thank them for sharing and redirect back to the activity.
If someone has a strong or disruptive opinion
Before your event, align with library staff on how to handle interruptions. If a strong opinion starts to disrupt the program, pause and loop in staff so the group can stay focused on the activity.
If you’re asked a question you can’t answer
It’s okay to say, “I’m not sure, but I can help find out.” For questions about project science or data protocols, you can submit the question to the Q&A for support.
If you notice inaccurate data being submitted
Use it as a teaching moment. Sit with the participant, thank them for their enthusiasm and effort and gently walk through how to submit data correctly, modeling the process step by step.
Promotional Resources
See all promotional tools in this google folder.
Posters
Social Media and Graphics
Event Resources
SciStarter handles all the setup and training during the event. We encourage you to send your guests home with ways to continue their participation from anywhere with the following resources.
Take Home Resources
Additional Resources From the Project
Dark Energy Explorers has resources for educators, including an instructor guide and student worksheets. You can see all of the resources here.
Thank You!
Thank you for facilitating this event and supporting the citizen science project Dark Energy Explorers. With your help, scientists get closer to building a more complete map of the known universe—discovering hundreds of galaxies and, occasionally, a black hole along the way.
By guiding participants through this project, you’re helping scientists learn how the universe formed and evolved, while giving your community a chance to contribute to real, ongoing research. Your time, curiosity, and leadership make these discoveries possible.
We’re grateful for your partnership and for the role you play in expanding our understanding of the cosmos—one observation at a time.
All activity in April, Citizen Science Month 2026, counts towards a collective goal of 2.50 Million Acts of Science. Report your Acts of Science, which includes event attendance and estimated Dark Energy Explorers classifications, to CitizenScienceMonth.org!