Four students from city schools have discovered two unknown asteroids, which is set to be placed in the global minor body catalogue maintained by the International Astronomical Union in Paris.

Aryan Mishra and Keerti Vardhan, two class IX students of Chinmaya Vidyalaya, as well as Akshat Sharma and Kshitij Jindal of class XI of Bal Bharti Public School, chanced upon the ‘near earth’ bodies during a nationwide asteroid search campaign.

The search was conducted globally by the International Astronomical Search Collaboration (IASC) and in India by SPACE, a city-based body that works towards popularisation of science and astronomy and provides training to students and amateur astronomers for asteroid hunting.

“Once the discoveries are reconfirmed, the students will get the chance to name the asteroids,” said an official from SPACE.

The ‘near—earth objects’ discovered by the students are asteroids that have been nudged by gravitational attraction of nearby planets into orbits that allow them to enter earth’s neighbourhood.

“It is therefore important to keep a close watch on these objects for the safety of the Earth,” said the official.

While the discovery by Aryan Mishra and Keerti Vardhan of has been designated as ‘2014 00372’, the finding by Akshat Sharma and Kshitij Jindal of Bal Bharati Public School has been designated as ‘2014 OU6’

“It was an amazing experience working on the software. I feel privileged for the opportunity given to me” said Akshat Sharma.

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