In this project, I use image data from VIMOS (Visible Multi-Object Spectrograph) and the Hubble Space Telescope’s Advanced Camera for Surveys to classify (sort) galaxies by eye according to their shape and to find galaxies that are merging with one another or have multiple areas of intense star formation- known as clumps. These galaxies are in a large cluster known as a super-structure. The data gathered from the classification can then be used to work out what kind of environment galaxies merge in.
The best part about classifying galaxies is you never know what you are going to get each time you load a new image. In my blog posts, I am going to show and write about some of the most interesting galaxies I have classified and what we can learn from them.
Finally, you can have a go at classifying galaxies yourself at www.galaxyzoo.org. Have fun!
XGAL: Time travelling through the Universe 