MEET ARYAN MISHRA-AN ASTEROID QUESTER

Aryan Mishra, a 17-year-old teen, son of a newspaper seller, and student from New Delhi was just living an ordinary life. He has a great passion for astronomy. It was just a nightmare for him to be an astronomer. For the first time when he came across the rings of Saturn through a telescope and inspired by many astronauts like Lt.Kalpana Chawla, Sunita William and Rakesh Sharma. He decided to work on his ambition. With his hard work and determination towards his vision. He achieved his aim of becoming an astronaut at an extremely young age and his next goal is to attend the Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama.

During All India Asteroid Search Campaign in 2014, he and his classmate Keerti Vardhan discovered a near-Earth asteroid during a nationwide asteroid search campaign. It is currently designated as 2014 00372. They both were nominated from their school for a nationwide campaign for searching asteroids known as All India Asteroid Search Campaign. Students chosen for the program get to access images of the sky taken by 0.6-meter (24-inch) and 0.9-meter (34-inch) telescopes at the Astronomical Research Institute (ARI) Observatory in the U.S.

The search was conducted globally by the International Astronomical Search Collaboration (IASC) and in India by SPACE, which works towards popularization of science and astronomy in India and provides training to students and amateur astronomers for asteroid hunting. Their discovery will be catalogued in the Official Minor Body Catalogue in Paris

DREAMS ARE NOT EASY TO CHASE

His journey in astronomy began at a very young age. At his age when children used to have so many demands, expectations from their parents and spent most of time playing and having fun with friends. He was desirous and ignored everything to achieve his ambition.

As a son of newspaper seller, he faced financial problems and saw many ups and down in his life. But his zeal never let him down. At first, his parents did not support this interest and his relatives discouraged him. A lot of his own friends and classmates insulted his dream and called him “psycho. He never disappointed himself. Soon his parent’s saw enthusiasm in him and gifted him telescope. For the first time he saw our own moon closely from the telescope gifted by his parents and after that he saw the planets in our solar system. He got a Planisphere which helped him a lot to explore the sky

He spent so many nights in searching the God’s creation in the sky. His classmates frequently asked him about outer space, or what was the brighter star in the sky the night before. This inspired him to put on astronomy classes for both junior high and high school students at his school.

He ensured that he spread his love for the universe and its discovery. He holds Skype sessions and classes to connect with and teach students all over the world from Jharkhand to Israel. He had a great passion for teaching astronomy to as many students as he can.

GRANTING AWARENESS ABOUT ASTRONOMY

I’m a dreamer. I have to dream and reach for the stars, and if I miss a star then I grab a handful of clouds

ARYAN MISHRA MET SUNITA WILLIAMS

He met Sunita Williams (an American astronaut and United States Navy officer of Indo-Slovenian descent) and various Astronauts, CEO’s of Space Industries and many scientists from NASA and other space agencies throughout his 4 years of journey into astronomy. Recently; he also met the Late Astronaut Kalpana Chawla’s parents.

When he was been asked about any special compliment given by the honorary personalities during meet. He told keep the spirit up and one day you will reach the stars.

Hope his dreams come true and India wishes him, a very good-luck in achieving the goals in the coming future.