You can now help 4MOST find Strange Galaxies

by James Munday and Harry Addison (editor) on 2026-11-12

The CHANCES survey (the CHilean Cluster galaxy Evolution Survey) within 4MOST is targeting more than 500,000 galaxies in and around galaxy clusters. Many Galaxies have similar properties when we look at their data, but some exciting cases are clear outliers. To search for these, the "Looking for Strange Galaxies" initiative is looking for members of the public who want to contribute towards 4MOST science by looking through this huge number of galaxies with a human eye.

Image of a galaxy as part of the GUI for the looking for strage galaxies Zooniverse project. — An example of a galaxy that you could help classify. Who knows what you might find!

Your help can enable investigation of how galaxy evolution is driven by interactions, gas physics, and environmental effects. Particularly exciting candidates can also be prioritized for detailed follow-up with facilities such as MUSE on ESO's 8.2m Very Large Telescope - a neighbour of 4MOST at Paranal.

There are many ways that you can get involved: classify galaxies on Zooniverse, discuss and flag promising candidates through the initiative's forum, and sharing the project with your local community. With the imminent start of survey operations in 4MOST around the corner, this is a perfect time to get involved with our science community.

Learn more about the "Looking for Strange Galaxies" project on our Citizen Science page or on Zooniverse.