26 INTERVIEW
16 year old slum boy discovered asteroid near earth
“ Your dreams are your wings that help you to fly , go face the world and reach for the sky !”
Aryan Mishra is not the usual 16-year-old . At an age when most of us are confused , anguished creatures just coherently driving towards existence , Aryan is busy scaling the night sky , discovering asteroids and giving inspirational talks across the world . At the young age of 14 , this passionate space enthusiast discovered a near-Earth asteroid in a nation-wide search campaign ( All India Asteroid Search Campaign ). His discovery has been designated as 2014 00372 and is soon to be made a part of the world ’ s minor body catalogue maintained by the International Astronomical Union in Paris . The ‘ Near-Earth Objects ’ discovered are asteroids that have been nudged by the gravitational attraction of nearby planets into orbits that allow them to enter earth ’ s neighbourhood .
What invoked your interest in space ?
I first got interested in the subject of space when I saw the planet Saturn from a telescope . I was 11 years old then , and the beauty and magnificence of the planet left me amazed . It was then that I decided that I want to become an astronaut , if not for that an aerospace engineer .
I have been scouring the night sky ever since then ; the asteroid discovery made by me was done under All India Asteroid Search Campaign in association with IASC in 2014 .
Why do you think astronomy is important ?
Astronomy is important not just for scientific reasons that are space research but is also essential for increasing economics , trade
WINSPIRE : Empowering youth | December , 2016