A young London, Ontario resident, Siddharth Patel, has garnered international attention for the provisional discovery of two new asteroids at the age of 12. Patel, a dedicated amateur astronomer, spotted the potential celestial bodies while participating in a citizen science program affiliated with NASA.
The Discovery and Provisional Status
Siddharth Patel's discoveries are currently designated as provisional asteroids by the Minor Planet Center (MPC), a branch of the International Astronomical Union that tracks small solar system bodies. The two potential asteroids have been assigned the provisional names 2024 RX69 and 2024 RH39.
Participation: The discovery was made through the International Astronomical Search Collaboration (IASC), a citizen science initiative that partners with NASA. This program provides image data from professional observatories, such as the Hawaiian Pan-STARRS facility and the Arizona-based Catalina Sky Survey, to citizen scientists worldwide for analysis.
Location: The two celestial objects are believed to reside in the main asteroid belt located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
Confirmation Process: The "provisional" designation means the objects appear to be previously unidentified and meet the necessary criteria, but they are not yet officially named or permanently cataloged. Due to the need to precisely confirm their orbits, the final confirmation process for the asteroids could take up to four years. Once confirmed, Patel will have the exciting opportunity to name his discoveries. He is already considering names like 'CanAstroSid' and 'LonAstroSid' to reflect Canada and London.
An Aspiring Astronaut's Journey
Siddharth's interest in space began at a very young age—around five years old—when he first observed the night sky. Supported by his parents, he developed his passion independently, starting with his first telescope and continuously pursuing knowledge outside of school.
Astronomy Pursuits: Patel has not limited himself to searching for asteroids; he is also an accomplished astrophotographer. His image of Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) alongside the Milky Way earned him the People's Choice Award in DarkSky International’s 2025 Capture the Dark photography contest.
Future Goals: His ultimate dream is to become an astronaut, following in the footsteps of notable Canadian figures like Chris Hadfield and Jeremy Hansen. To advance this goal, Patel, currently a Grade 7 student, has already joined the Royal Canadian Air Cadets to gain flight hours and experience, recognizing the extensive preparation required for an astronaut career.
His discoveries highlight the significant contributions that dedicated citizen scientists, regardless of age, can make to the field of astronomy, furthering the cataloging and understanding of our solar system's small bodies.