Black Hole Finder App Lets You Help Scientists Discover Cosmic Giants: How It Works

A groundbreaking new app called Black Hole Finder has been launched by the Dutch Black Hole Consortium, enabling anyone with a smartphone to assist in the search for black holes. Available for free on both Android and iOS, and accessible via web browsers, the app invites the public to explore these cosmic mysteries using real astronomical data.

The Black Hole Finder app allows users to examine images captured by the BlackGEM telescope array in Chile. This telescope is dedicated to spotting rare cosmic events known as kilonovas, which could signal the birth of new black holes.

Here’s how it works: after a quick tutorial, users review images from the telescope and decide whether they depict real kilonovas or false positives. The images are just 15 minutes old, offering a near real-time look at the universe. Your evaluations help refine machine learning algorithms designed to detect black holes more accurately.

Steven Bloemen, the project manager for the BlackGEM telescopes, stated, “people are much better at identifying patterns than our algorithms.” User input is crucial in enhancing the algorithms’ ability to distinguish between genuine cosmic events and false signals.

The app supports several languages, including Spanish, German, Chinese, Italian, Polish, and Bengali, making it accessible to a wide audience. Users who identify 1,000 transients earn “Super User” status, which allows them to request follow-up on recent transients within 16 hours.

By participating, users contribute to cutting-edge scientific research while learning more about black holes and the universe. This innovative approach combines public engagement with advanced technology to deepen our understanding of cosmic phenomena.