Galaxy Zoo classifications in SDSS Database
The latest release of data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey happened yesterday (SDSS3 blog article about the release). This has been widely talked about as providing the largest ever digital image of the sky, but one thing which might have passed your notice is that as part of this data release your Galaxy Zoo classifications (from the first phase of Galaxy Zoo) have been integrated into the SDSS public database (CasJobs). This will make GZ1 classifications all that more accessible for professional (and amateur?) astronomers to use in their research, and we hope to see some exciting and novel new uses coming out.
I’ll finish by including this visualization of the SDSS3 imaging data made by Mike Blanton and David Hogg (OK so I can’t work out how to embedd a YouTube video here, so here’s the link!).
8 responses to “Galaxy Zoo classifications in SDSS Database”
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- - January 12, 2011
Galaxy Zoo 
Where is the data? I have looked at the schema browser and can’t see it. (I already use the GZ1 data with DR7 for the irregular galaxy studies)
Waveney – I think the servers are struggling today due to all the press. At least I’m having problems even getting in, and others here at Portsmouth are experiencing issues too. Hopefully all will be better soon.
I should admit I was a bit naughty and didn’t check the data access worked before posting. I do know it’s supposed to be in there (it’s described in the paper) and if it continues to be a problem I will chase it up with the relevant people.
OK I just went into the DR8 database to check and the Galaxy Zoo stuff really is there (as I said it would be). It’s in a series of tables which start ‘zoo’, probably the most interesting one of which is ‘zooSpec’ which has the debiased votes and clean sample classifications for all SDSS galaxies with spectra (ie. redshifts). I’ve switched into writing in science jargon for this comment, partly deliberately because anyone who cares about such details is starting to get into actually using the classifications for science (and should see Lintott et al. 2008 and 2010, and probably also the Appendix of Bamford et al. 2008 for the details of these tables).
I really only mentioned the availability of the data on the blog because I think it’s great SDSS wanted to include it and I think it means we can expect some interesting results coming from scientists not previously involved in Galaxy Zoo using your classifications.
I can see them now as well. Yesterday I could not get anywhere within casjobs itself (due to database errors) and was reading the schema which des not include the zoo tables (and misses several other sets of data as well.
I have been comparing irregulars with sampless (1000 strong) of spirals, ellipticals and mergers. I have useful results and they will hopefully be published when I find out how as part of my part time PhD.
if the schema does not include these tables, where is one to find these data? btw, I wasn’t able to find any info (let aside details) on these tables in Bamford et al. 2008 (or 2009). Please tell how these data could be found into the SDSS public database (CasJobs). thanks.
Anca,
The data are in the DR8 version of Casjobs in a series of tables which start “zoo” (ie. “zooSpec”). The tables themselves are described in the data release paper Lintott et al. 2011. I mentioned Steven’s 2009 paper (Bamford et al. 2009 – sorry for the date typo before) only because the discussion in the Appendix there might help you understand better the data and bias corrections we’ve applied.
Karen.
The last 4 daqys i have not been recieving any data at all, i was wondering whats going on.i have no images in anything!!!.