Help on My IB Extended Essay--Finding a data set for Redshift

[daniel79]

TL;DR Summary: Need help with finding a data set for redshift and suggestions on my topic.

Hey.
I am currently working on writing my IB (International Baccalaureate) Extended Essay (4000 word paper) with a focus on thermodynamics and astrophysics. So far the topic is using the increase in the distances between galaxies (through data on redshift) and the increase in Hubble's constant, to provide evidence for the increase in entropy in the universe. Does anyone have any recommendations on data sets for redshift, or any suggestions on the topic? Anything is appreciated. (To give an understanding of my level, I am a high school junior, and I have taken AP Physics 1 so far, but am open to learning and researching over summer break)

 

[berkeman]

Welcome to PF.

What have you found in your Google searches so far? There should be lots of available data. Worst case, start at Wikipedia.org and click through the References...

 

[daniel79]

Welcome to PF.

What have you found in your Google searches so far? There should be lots of available data. Worst case, start at Wikipedia.org and click through the References...

I have found studies and papers on the topic so far, but haven't been able to find any hard data. Wikipedia gave me the same thing in the references, but I did find the NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database, so maybe.

 

[phyzguy]

Yes, NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database (NED) is the best place to start. Go to Home » Search Objects » By Parameters. Then I would suggest putting in a small range of Sky Area Constraints, like RA Range of 1 degree and Dec Range of 1 degree. This will reduce the number of objects that are returned. Then it will output a CSV file with the parameters you are looking for. Once you have learned how to deal with the data, you can expand the Sky Area constraints. But I think if you want more than 100,000 objects, There may be other limitations.