NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory started with 9,000 stars and used their individual wavelengths to identify their size, temperature and other basic properties. The data was then cross-referenced with light curve graphs, which measure the brightness of the stars, and fed into NASA's machines. The combination of the two, combined with some custom algorithms, means that NASA's computers should be able to make new predictions based on light curves alone. Of course, machine learning isn't new to NASA, but this latest approach is a little different because it can identify specific star characteristics. Once the LSST is fully operational in 2023, it could reduce the number of astronomers pulling all-nighters.

[Image Credit: Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech, Flickr]