Teen Invents Automated Tool to Detect Asteroids from Telescope Images

A 13-year-old boy from London, Ontario, has earned top honors at the Canada-Wide Science Fair for developing a tool that streamlines the detection of asteroids, aimed at aiding amateur astronomers. His innovative system secured the Platinum Award for Discovery in the junior division.

Siddharth Patel, a Grade 7 student at Clara Brenton Public School, achieved a notable breakthrough in his astronomy pursuits. As reported by CBC News, he reached the national stage after clinching gold at the Thames Valley Science and Engineering Fair. His project was named Automating Asteroid Detection Criteria to Strengthen Citizen Science for Planetary Defense.

From Personal Interest to Scientific Innovation

The concept behind Patel’s project originated from his participation in the International Astronomical Search Collaboration, a NASA-linked citizen science program where volunteers examine telescope images for undiscovered asteroids.

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Patel made two asteroid discoveries himself through this program and noticed a common challenge faced by many volunteers. According to CBC News, a staggering 94% of citizen scientists drop out because identifying asteroids is complex and time-consuming.

The project developed by Patel automates the process of spotting asteroids. Credit: Siddharth Patel

In response to this issue, he created Automated Recognition and Identification of Asteroids (ARIA), a program designed to assist users in confirming whether faint moving objects in telescope images are asteroids.

“All they have to do is plug in the images … then you just run the program and it will automatically detect all the known asteroids in the image and detect the new asteroids,” Patel explained.

The objective is not to replace amateur astronomers but to make the detection process easier, encouraging sustained involvement in asteroid searches.

An Unexpected Triumph at the Nationals

Patel invested countless hours preparing his project for the national competition and was surprised when awarded the top prize.

“I’ve been doing this project for so long, working hard every single day, and it’s really paid off,” he said. When the results were revealed, the young student was caught off guard. “When my name was called for platinum, I was seriously not expecting that. I was so shocked, I was about to cry.”

Siddharth Patel with the telescope that inspired his passion for astronomy and asteroid discovery. Credit: Siddharth Patel

The platinum award distinguished his project as the top junior entry in the Discovery category. For Patel, the honor reflected both scientific achievement and a deeper mission.

“It feels great to actually do something really meaningful in life, like to actually protect the Earth from asteroids,” he said.

A Lifelong Fascination with the Stars

Patel’s enthusiasm for astronomy started when he spent nights stargazing from his family’s apartment balcony. Despite his parents not having a background in the field, he expanded his knowledge through documentaries and online learning, especially after receiving a telescope from his father.

“I could see the sparkle in his eyes and how much he enjoyed it, and ever since then, he’s been hooked on telescopes,” his mother, Rajani Ramsagar, told CBC News.

His family supported his passion by frequently traveling beyond London to find darker skies for observation. Additionally, he gained astrophotography acclaim after winning the people’s choice prize for his photo Milky Way with Comet C/2023 A3 in DarkSky International’s 2025 photography competition. His parents expressed pride in his accomplishments, including his solo cross-country travels at just 13 years old.