Why mapping the galaxy will be child’s play

As satellites such as the European Space Agency's Gaia provide astronomers with increasingly vast amounts of data, amateur observers, including schoolchildren, will help analyse the secrets of the stars

Within the Draco constellation, in the far northern sky, scientists have discovered a star, 700 light years from Earth, that has a distinctly unhealthy appetite. It is devouring its stellar companion. As the smaller of the two spins round the larger, the little cannibal is ripping streams of matter from its partner. Even odder, both stars have used up all their hydrogen fuel and now face a spectacular end to their existences - as fodder for supernovae explosions.For good measure, the two stars of Gaia14aae perfectly eclipse each other, as seen from Earth, a feature that could prove to be of key importance for astronomers. Eclipses allow scientists to calculate the masses of binary stars with unprecedented precision, and will give them a handle on understanding the behaviour of this extraordinary pair as they circle each other in their stellar dance of death.

But what also excites scientists is the fact that it took groups of professional astronomers working with amateur colleagues to pinpoint this extraordinary object - and that teamwork could prove to be a powerful force in future. Indeed, many believe that amateurs, including children, working with professionals, could prove a highly effective combination.