The celestial object discovered by Turkish researchers was registered as an “asteroid”.

Ayşe Arslan, a science teacher who has been conducting space observations and research at Düzce BİLSEM for 5 years, and Ömer Selim Esen (14), a 9th grade student at Düzce Turgut Özal Anatolian High School, conducted a study as part of the study “Asteroid Discovery Campaign”, organized with the support of the International Astronomy Search Cooperation (IASC).

The celestial object discovered by Arslan and Esen in 2021, which was included in the program in which amateur astronomers tried to discover new asteroids, was registered as a new “asteroid” by the International Astronomical Search Cooperation.

Arslan and Esen were given the right to name the asteroid.

“It is very valuable for Türkiye”

Ayşe Arslan stated that after accepting their application for the Asteroid Discovery Campaign, they started conducting observations with the datasets sent.

Arslan explained that they examined this data using special software, noting that they sent the reports they prepared to the International Astronomy Search Cooperation Minor Planet Center.

Stating that they learned in the email they received after three years that this object was the first asteroid discovered by Turkey, Arslan said: “The scientific value of this is discovery of an asteroid for the first time in the solar system (the…). (First asteroid discovery by Turkish researchers) is very valuable for both us and Turkey,” he said.

Student Ömer Selim Esen explained that they discovered this asteroid three years ago and said: “It was a long time ago, but I still remember this moment. He is very valuable to me,” he said.

Esen stated that he came to BİLSEM because of his interest in astronomy, adding that he has been working at BİLSEM for seven years.