Education and Public Engagement
The Sloan Digital Sky Survey is committed to working towards making the science and engineering results of our surveys accessible to the public. We are also enthusiastic about supporting the use of SDSS data for training and education. We aim to do this through informal and formal education, citizen science, news, and social media. A selection of our Education and Public Engagement activities are described below.
SDSS in Schools
SDSS Voyages is a custom resource for education focused explorers of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Specifically designed to meet the needs of educators, SDSS Voyages provides the pathways and supporting resources needed to enable student-led discovery of a variety of astronomfical phenomena using the same data utilized by professional astronomers.Explore SDSS Voyages
Through our program "Your Piece of the Sloan Sky" we distribute used plug plates to educators at formal and informal educational institutions. Plates are distributed via SDSS Institutions and accompanied by a custom-made poster showing the patch of sky the plate was used to observe, a package of educational materials, and training on the use of SDSS Voyages.
If you are interested in participating in this program, please contact us, and we will help to link you to your nearest SDSS Institution.
SDSS in Undergraduate Education
The Astrophysical Research Consortium has initiated a pilot Research Experiences for Undergraduates program sponsored by the Sloan Foundation. The last application deadline was February 15, 2016. Women, minorities, disabled persons, and veterans are especially encouraged to apply.
SDSS SkyServer hosts all the latest data from SDSS, freely available for all to use. Tools, guides and a variety of suggested projects are provided to help new users learn how to use the data.
Some of the Voyages Expeditions may also be suitable for use in Astronomy Labs.
Public Engagement with SDSS
Additionally, the Zooteach website includes lesson plans and ideas to use Zooniverse projects (including Galaxy Zoo) in education. Explore the Zooniverse
In our Science Blog you’ll find short descriptions of our scientific research and the latest discoveries from the SDSS. We’d love to see your comments and questions about what you read there!
Explore the Blog
- June 4, 2020A Statement of Solidarity
- January 10, 2019Where does my favourite MaNGA galaxy live? ¿Dónde vive mi galaxia MaNGA favorita?
- January 7, 2019Getting a handle on MaNGA’s cold gas with the HI-MaNGA survey
Scroll through the SDSS Skies with SkyServer Navigate.
Any SDSS image on the SDSS Web site may be downloaded, linked to, or otherwise used provided that you maintain the image credits (unless otherwise stated, images should be credited to the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, or SDSS) and link back to our site at //www.sdss.org.
We have recently changed our license. SDSS Images may now be used in commercial publications, or for other commercial purposes without explicit approval of the Astrophysical Research Consortium (ARC). Please visit our Image Use Policy for full details.
A selection of SDSS related videos can be found on our SDSS Youtube Channel.
The below video is a narrated flight through the Universe, which describes the scope of the many SDSS Surveys up to and including SDSS-IV. This video is illustrated with CGI rendering of real data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey.
Email us at outreach@sdss.org. We are always keen to hear about your educational use of SDSS data or resources.
SDSS relies on the collaborative efforts of our member scientists and a number of external collaborations for public engagement and outreach and to develop educational content.
- The Education page of classic.sdss.org,
- The Education page of sdss3.org,
- The Education Page on SkyServer,
- The new SDSS Voyages Pages,
- Or see the EPO Pages of the SDSS Wiki (SDSS Collaborators only - password protected). We can help you write your Broader Impact section of your next grant.
- EPO personnel are listed on Key People in SDSS.
- Center for Astronomy Education (CAE)
- Collaboration of Astronomy Teaching Scholars (CATS)
- Zooteach from The Citizen Science Alliance
- Shine (Celebrating the International Year of Light with Art, Science and Music).