When he was eight years old, Soorya Narayanan Aramana discovered a world beyond the earth through his beloved books. At the age of 14, with two asteroid discoveries under his belt, he is working on a book of his own to guide beginners into the field of astronomy and astrophysics.

Soorya, whose family hails from Nileswaram in Kasaragod, has discovered two asteroids—2023VB20 and 2023WT48—as part of the International Astronomical Search Collaboration (IASC), a NASA-affiliated programme.

To make these discoveries, Soorya and other programme participants had to master a software called Astrometrica. “It’s a software specifically made for the campaign and discovering asteroids. It can be extremely confusing for a beginner. There are various values and positions to keep in mind when finding asteroids. Asteroids have to move periodically in a straight line with a specific distance between each interval of images,” Soorya elaborated.

The teen will soon have the opportunity to name his discoveries. “I was told that it will take 3-4 years for the process to be completed, and only then will I be able to name it,” he told Onmanorama.

Driven by a desire to make science more accessible, the 14-year-old has written a beginner-friendly book on astronomy and astrophysics and is now seeking a publisher. “Many beginners find these subjects confusing because of the complex jargon. I tried to understand it myself and wrote the book in a simpler way so that everyone can understand,” he said.

While he has a soft spot for astronomy, Soorya, a student of Amara Jyothi Public School in Bengaluru, said that he likes to read all kinds of science books. “My favourite subject in school is Physics,” he added. He particularly enjoys books from Dorling Kindersley (DK).  

Soorya said that his parents, Umeshan Aramana, a contractor, and Ramya Nair, a psychologist, nurtured his interest in science by introducing him to fascinating books. “My teachers are also quite supportive,” he added.

The 14-year-old, who cites Albert Einstein and Elon Musk as his inspirations, dreams of becoming an astrophysicist and joining space missions to explore new planets. “I am very interested in exploring the possibility of life on other planets. If we encounter an astronomical crisis in the future, exploring other planets could help ensure our survival,” he said.

“I would love to be a part of NASA or SpaceX,” Soorya added.