The technology of detecting signals from space continues to improve, and with it,  we discover new objects in the universe. Over the past 50 years, we have seen many new discoveries by using new wavebands such as radio waves, X-rays, infra-red etc.

In the past 10 years especially, we have been able to expand this into the time domain, i.e. by taking data at different times, we are discovering the universe changes at timescales we can observe. Exoplanets are just one example of this. However, adding the time-domain has increased the challenges in data storage, analysis and visualization.

Traditionally astronomy is a field where amateur astronomers have been able to contribute to many discoveries, and in this Hackathon we want to give the public a chance to form teams with professional astronomers and contribute to the computing domain.

This hackathon will present teams with the challenge of developing applications in time-domain astronomy. We want to see new approaches to presenting, analyzing or understanding problems in this area. Teams may present new analyses/approaches or may provide novel new ways of understanding existing solutions/problems. Your product could be a proof-of-concept app, a plugin to existing code, a storyboard design, anything that embodies creative hacking around the Time Domain Astronomy theme!

The City of College Park has graciously made $1000 in prize money available for the top  three hackers.  Vigilante Coffee Company is donating coffee to keep you fueled up. Google can provide up to $300 per person in ​cloud credits to help you hack​.  Coding  experience is not necessary because you can join a team with coders. All you need is a creative mind!

Although you will be forming teams on Saturday, you can look for ideas to work on in the Discussions tab, or add your own.

$1,000 in prizes

We will  have access to the google cloud and can make available up to $300 worth of computing to each participant. Please contact us before the start of the hackathon.

Although it is recommended you use devpost to register yourself for the hackathon (so we know how much coffee to get), you can take a risk and just show up on Saturday morning. We are however limiting the number of participants to 100!

• Newly Designed
  If you design a new app (as opposed to enhancing an existing) it needs to be clearly described. Story boards or Mockups can be used in the final presentation.
• Existing Enhanced
  If you enhance an existing app, you will clearly need to show what the app used to do and do now. If the enhancement does not work yet, show with a mockup how it will work.