Future Research Project Ideas

Astronomical Research using Data Archives

There are vast amounts of scientific data being released to the public on a daily basis, and this includes a great deal of astronoical data. Archival research, as referenced here, means scientific research that can be conducting using data that currently exists. To give you a sample of what is out there in the way of astronomical data archives visit http://www.google.com/Top/Science/Astronomy/Data_Archives/ . In addition to these resources, Spitzer has its own data archives. The possibility for research ideas using data archives is limitless.

Galaxy Classification

Spitzer's cameras have relatively large fields of view (for infrared cameras), and Spitzer is really efficient at covering large areas of sky. Thus, it is often the case that sources are serendipitously imaged -- for example, galaxies caught in the background of an image of someting else. You can do science with these objects!