For 11-year-old Atharv Sood, the night time sky was as soon as merely a supply of marvel. He would spend time observing the Moon, Jupiter, stars, and distant galaxies, making an attempt to know what existed past Earth. Right this moment, that curiosity has taken him a step nearer to actual astronomical analysis. In accordance with an article printed by India Right this moment, Atharv just lately participated in Part I of the All-India Asteroid Search Marketing campaign (AIASC) 2026 as a part of Satya Faculty’s Younger Scientist Program and was credited with three preliminary asteroid detections. His work additionally earned recognition from the Worldwide Astronomical Search Collaboration (IASC), the place he was listed as a member of Crew SPACE Scanners 1.For a kid his age, the expertise was not nearly incomes a certificates. It gave Atharv the chance to work with astronomical information and expertise how scientists seek for objects shifting by area.
28 Jul 2026 | 16:22
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It began with a telescope at dwelling
Atharv’s curiosity in astronomy had already been rising when his mother and father gifted him a telescope on his final birthday. The instrument gave him a chance to maneuver from studying about area to really observing celestial objects himself. “I’ve loved observing the Moon, Jupiter, and different objects. Seeing them with my very own eyes made area really feel a lot nearer and extra actual to me,” Atharv mentioned. His mother and father observed that the telescope didn’t turn out to be simply one other toy that misplaced its enchantment after a number of weeks. As an alternative, it inspired him to ask extra questions, examine astronomy, and return to the night time sky with even higher curiosity. They mentioned Atharv’s curiosity in area had developed step by step, along with his questions typically specializing in planets, stars, and the big scale of the universe.
From classroom studying to an precise asteroid search
At Satya Faculty, college students serious about astronomy and space science can discover the topic by the college’s House Lab and Younger Scientist Programme. This was the place Atharv bought the chance to take part within the asteroid search marketing campaign. Earlier than starting the marketing campaign, college students obtained coaching from SPACE India in collaboration with IASC. They had been taught easy methods to use Astrometrica, software program that helps researchers analyse astronomical pictures and determine objects that seem to maneuver throughout a sequence of frames. The train required far more than merely taking a look at footage of the sky.College students needed to rigorously examine astronomical pictures taken at completely different occasions. Stars typically remained in the identical place, whereas an object shifting by area might seem to shift barely between frames. That tiny motion was what Atharv was on the lookout for.
The second he thought he had discovered one thing
Throughout the evaluation, Atharv observed an object that appeared to maneuver between pictures. “I used to be rigorously evaluating the astronomical pictures after I observed one thing that gave the impression to be shifting,” he recalled. His first response was pleasure, however he additionally understood that the statement wanted to be checked rigorously. He went by the photographs once more earlier than considering, “Possibly I’ve discovered one thing!”That endurance and a spotlight to element grew to become an vital a part of the expertise. His instructor mentioned Atharv was not somebody who was happy with merely discovering a potential candidate. He would revisit pictures, study potential objects, and ensure he was assured earlier than shifting forward. His three preliminary detections ultimately grew to become a big milestone in his younger scientific journey.
For Atharv, curiosity issues greater than recognition
Though being recognised by IASC was rewarding, Atharv says the expertise gave him one thing extra helpful: a stronger need to be taught. “The popularity was rewarding, however what stayed with me probably the most was the sense of curiosity it sparked, encouraging me to be taught extra about astronomy,” he mentioned. His fascination extends past asteroid searches. He’s notably serious about black holes, the evolution of galaxies, and the opportunity of life past Earth.Apparently, a few of his curiosity about area has additionally been influenced by the fictional worlds of the Marvel universe. The galaxies, black holes, and different ideas proven in these tales made him marvel about what may truly exist past what people at present know.
His mother and father are letting his pursuits prepared the ground
Atharv’s mother and father are encouraging his curiosity with out deciding his profession for him at such a younger age. “We do not have a hard and fast profession path in thoughts for him. We’re excited to see the place his curiosity and pursuits lead him within the years forward,” they mentioned. His instructor has additionally noticed that Atharv’s curiosity goes past memorising details. He asks questions on how celestial objects transfer, how astronomers map the sky and the way scientists examine distant phenomena.An upcoming go to to ISRO, deliberate by Satya Faculty, is one other expertise Atharv is wanting ahead to. He hopes to see the services, be taught extra about area know-how, and perceive how scientists work behind the scenes.
A younger scientist with an enormous query
For now, Atharv continues to be determining the place his pursuits will ultimately take him. He says he enjoys science, know-how, and area and want to work with telescopes or discover area sometime, probably at organisations akin to ISRO or NASA. However maybe a very powerful end result of his asteroid-search expertise is just not the three preliminary detections or the certificates that now sits amongst his trophies. It’s the behavior he has developed: look intently, ask questions, examine once more, and keep curious.As Atharv places it, the expertise has inspired him to continue learning and exploring what lies past our planet. At simply 11, he might not know precisely the place that curiosity will lead, however he has already taken his first steps towards discovering out.
