NASA site asks public to choose telescope's mission
People can visit a new site to vote for an astronomical object to be viewed by the Hubble Space Telescope
- By Doug Beizer
- Jan 29, 2009
NASA wants the public to decide which astronomical object the Hubble Space Telescope will next observe.
Votes can be cast until March 1 at the new Web site YouDecide.Hubblesite.org, the space agency said Jan. 28. The public will vote for one of six astronomical objects for Hubble to observe in honor of the International Year of Astronomy. The choices, which Hubble has not previously photographed, range from distant galaxies to dying stars.
The telescope's camera will try to make a high-resolution image revealing new details about the object that receives the most votes. The image will be released in April, according to NASA. Everyone who votes also will be entered into a random drawing to receive one of 100 copies of the Hubble photograph made of the winning celestial body, the space agency said .
Doug Beizer is a staff writer for Federal Computer Week.