After discovering an asteroid, a youngster from Noida was recognized by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). “2023 OG40,” the asteroid’s tentative designation, was discovered by the International Asteroid Discovery Project (IADP). When NASA finishes the verification procedure, which might take up to five years, the youngster will get to choose the asteroid’s permanent name.

I’ve always found space to be fascinating.I used to watch a lot of National Geographic programs on the solar system and planets. The Print cited Daksh Malik, a Class 9 pupil at Shiv Nadar School in Noida, as stating, “This is like a dream come true.”

Under the International Asteroid Discovery Project (IADP), Malik and two of his school pals had been searching for asteroids for a year and a half. They were given this chance in 2022 when their school’s astronomy club emailed them about the International Astronomical Search Collaboration (IASC).

Students and others from all around the globe may “discover” asteroids for the US space agency via the IASC, a NASA-affiliated citizen science initiative.

Only a small percentage of the more than 6,000 participants in IADP, which is organized by the STEM & Space organization and the IASC, are able to find new asteroids each year.

According to the IASC website, five other Indian students have found a named asteroid prior to Daksh.