A Quick Verification of the 2-D Galaxy Distribution with SDSS Data

We present source code for the computer algebra system Mathematica that analyzes the distribution of nearby Galaxies using SDSS data. Download instructions are given, thus within 10 minutes, the reader can verify that galaxies are distributed in an essentially non-homogeneous manner and cluster on 2-dimensional structures. The short code uses a simple method inspired by Minkowski functionals: the distances to the next neighbors are calculated and compared to random distributions in three and two dimensions. The observed distance distribution corresponds clearly to the latter case. The paper may also be helpful for nonexpert scientists to get started with SDSS data analysis.