Rubin Comet Catchers
Want to help discover comets from the data from Vera C. Rubin Observatory? Join the hunt for comets in the most ambitious astronomical survey ever undertaken!
Rubin Comet Catchers is a Citizen Science project that invites volunteers to help discover comets hiding in plain sight. By scanning images from the NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST)—the largest astronomical survey ever attempted—participants will look for telltale signs of activity, like faint tails or surrounding comae, that reveal the presence of volatile ices.
These icy bodies are more than just cosmic curiosities. They carry vital clues about the origin of Earth’s water and the building blocks of life. By identifying active comets among thousands of small solar system objects, volunteers will help scientists explore how planetary systems form and evolve—including our own.
No prior experience is needed—just your eyes, curiosity, and a few minutes to help uncover the secrets of the solar system.