Astronomy at school: Young star-gazers hunt the skies for asteroids

Julian Petrasch and Lennart Schlieder are keen astronomers. At a Berlin observatory, the two high-school students use professional telescopes to study the night sky. Asteroids are one of the main interests of the two young researchers.
Asteroids vary wildly in diameter: from several centimeters to several kilometers. Astronomers have to keep an eye on asteroids, to make sure they are not on a collision course with earth.


But pinpointing asteroids is difficult and time-consuming. No longer. Julian Petrasch and Lennart Schlieder have developed a computer program that simplifies the process, and delivers more accurate data at the same time.


Their breakthrough has caused waves among the astronomy community. Researchers at the Minor Planet Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, which collates and analyzes data on asteroids, are delighted by their work. We take a look at two remarkable young astronomers and their computer program.


Maria Lesser