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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.
LIVE Event
February 11, 2026:
6:30 PM ET
Event Duration: 1 hour
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
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 gathered in-person at your site will watch and listen together live while joining the activity 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 Wi-Fi 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.
Print and distribute the instructions for your guests.
Reminder: You don’t need to be a subject matter expert or have all the answers
Your role is to help participants feel welcome, supported, and engaged. The SciStarter team and the featured project’s scientist are available to help answer questions and provide accurate information when needed.
If someone shares misinformation
You can acknowledge the comment with something like, “There’s a lot of information out there, and it can be confusing,” or by simply thanking them for sharing. Then, in a friendly way, guide the conversation back to the activity.
If someone has a strong or disruptive opinion
Before the event, align with your event staff or partners on how to handle interruptions. If a strong opinion begins to disrupt the program, pause calmly, acknowledge the comment, and loop in staff so the group can stay focused and everyone can participate.
If you’re asked a question you can’t answer
It’s perfectly fine to say, “I’m not sure, but I can help find out.” For questions about the project’s science or data procedures, submit the question to the project’s Q&A or support channel so the right experts can respond.
If you notice obviously erroneous data being submitted
Remember that data quality is not your responsibility – each project has systems in place to weed out less than perfect contributions. If you suspect the error is genuine, encourage the participant to revisit the training materials or Field Guide. If you suspect the error is intentional, gently remind the participant that their work is being submitted to a team of real people, who often interact with participants. This is a place to put your best effort forward.
Find instructional resources and offline activities, including a printable instructor guide, student worksheets, and tips to explain dark energy at Zooniverse.
McDonald Observatory – What is dark energy? And how you can be involved in the search to understand it!
Promotional Resources
Use these resources to promote your in-person event. See all promotional tools in this google folder.
Posters
Available in multiple time zones.
Social Media and Graphics
Keep It Going
Print and distribute this flyer so your guests can continue participating in this project from home.
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.
Please take a moment to complete our brief post-event survey. Your response should take less than 5 minutes.
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!