a portrait of Vinod Thakur

Vinod Thakur

NASA Citizen Scientist

What motivated you to volunteer as a NASA citizen scientist? How did you learn about NASA citizen science?

Curiosity. I knew a little about the universe we live in and wanted to learn more. I was intrigued by the availability of data online. I learned about the project from social media.

Town Hall, left, and Gaiety Theater in the heart of Vinod's hometown of Shimla, India.
Vinod Thakur

What do you do when you’re not doing science with NASA? Tell us about your job and your hobbies.

I like to spend time at my own leisure. I like to learn things, too. I learn things on Facebook, and I watch programs on the Discovery Channel.

What have you learned about the process of science from your time on NASA citizen science projects?

I’ve learned a lot about galaxies and stars, and their evolution. Knowledge is expanding like the universe. I find learning addictive.

Which peer-reviewed research publications have you contributed to through your citizen science work? What was your role in the research and writing process?

I contributed to a paper called “Spitzer Follow-up of Extremely Cold Brown Dwarfs Discovered by the Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 Citizen Science Project” that was published in The Astrophysical Journal in 2020. I helped to confirm some of the objects of interest.

We’re aware that not everyone has equal access to speedy computers and internet signals. Was this a problem for you? And if it was how did you overcome it?

I can't afford to own a computer. I use my phone for classifications. Data is affordable. Internet connectivity is just OK.

What are your favorite NASA citizen science projects to work on, and why?

How much time do you spend on NASA citizen science projects?

I’ve spent four hours a day classifying flipbooks for the last four years. I’ve classified around 100,000 image sets.

Visit the complete collection of NASA citizen science projects and start contributing today!

Where are they from?

Planetary science is a global profession.