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ProjectsStardust@home
New Stardust@home Update, March 25, 2010: Track 30: A Possible Interstellar Dust Particle We are reporting today on by far the most promising interstellar dust candidate found to date. We emphasize that we do not yet know whether or not it is actually interstellar -- this may take years to determine definitively. Nevertheless, we are cautiously optimistic that it is in fact a tiny piece of matter from outside our solar system. Stardust returned home carrying grains from distant stars… and you can help find them! On January 15, 2006, the spacecraft Stardust flew by the Earth and released a sample return capsule, which parachuted down onto the Utah desert. In addition to the cometary particles from Stardust's dramatic encounter with comet Wild 2, the capsule carried interstellar dust grains collected beyond the orbit of Mars. These are the first particles from distant stars ever captured in space and brought to Earth. The interstellar dust particles are tiny, only a few microns in size, and Stardust will bring only a few of them to Earth - approximately 40, compared to the thousands of larger grains collected at Wild 2. They will be embedded within collector plates made of aerogel – an extremely lightweight low-density material, ideal for capturing particles traveling at high speed. But before scientists can study these precious samples from faraway Suns, they will first have to find them. And that, it turns out, is a major challenge. The grains are so few and so tiny, that they are completely lost within the cracked and imperfect surface of the aerogel collector that has spent nearly 7 years in space. This is where Stardust@home comes in. Now that Stardust has returned its samples, scientists at the Space Sciences Laboratory at U.C. Berkeley are creating "movies" of each tiny section of the aerogel collector. To cover the entire surface, they will produce about 700,000 such movies! Each of these movies will then be sent electronically to volunteers around the world, who will inspect them for the telltale signs of interstellar dust particles. Scientists need the public's help: it is the only way they know to find the elusive grains. As an official collaborator in the project, The Planetary Society is spreading the word, recruiting users, and informing the public about this new and exciting way for people around the world to share in the dream and reality of space exploration. With the aid of an easily downloadable "virtual microscope" and some basic online training, any computer user can be part of Stardust@home. You too can help find the elusive grains from distant stars! Sign up for Planetary Society Updates!
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