An eight-year-old kid from Brazil discovered 8 New Asteroids on a project conducted by the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovations, and the International Astronomical Search Collaboration as part of a NASA citizen science project.
An eight-year-old Brazilian astronomy prodigy, Mateus P. P. de Oliveira, discovered eight new asteroids. This remarkable discovery is a new achievement of Mateus in participating in the International Astronomical Search Collaboration (IASC) Asteroid Search Campaign held in June-August and as a part of a NASA citizen science project.
Mateus P. P. de Oliveira is a Brazilian elementary school student living in Cuiabá, the capital city of Mato Grosso, Brazil. He is an eight-year-old child who has been interested in science since he was a young age. During the COVID 19 pandemic, Mateus began telescope observation, an activity favored by children and their parents at that time. "We sat in the backyard with the telescope and watched the sky for hours. It's really cool!" Said Mateus enthusiastically.
Earlier this year, Mateus participated in the National Astronomy Olympics in Brazil and won a gold medal. The event was his first experience participating in the National Astronomy Olympics, and amazingly he won a gold medal. He then participated in the International Asteroid Search Campaign after founding the Asteroids Search Campaign, thanks to his father's permission and full support. At the International Asteroid Search Campaign event, Mateus discovered eight asteroids in sky images taken by the Pan-STARRS telescope in Hawaii, which provides images every night to participating students.
About IASC
International Astronomical Search Collaboration is a citizen science program that provides high-quality astronomical data for students and citizen scientists to discover new asteroids and Near-Earth Objects (NEO). These students and citizen scientists can make their original astronomical discoveries and participate in hands-on astronomy at no cost. IASC provides advanced software analysis to supply the astronomical data to search for new asteroids and report their findings.
All discoverers participating in the International Astronomical Search Collaboration received Interim Certificates of Discovery from the IASC, Pan-STARRS observatory, and NASA for their scientific contribution to the discovery of asteroids and Near-Earth Objects which can be formally cataloged in the Minor Planet Catalog. "I hope I have the chance to be able to name the asteroids I detected," - says Mateus, with his own certificate in hand.
About Mateus P. P. de Oliveira
Mateus P. P. de Oliveira is an eight-year-old Brazilian elementary school student who discovered eight new asteroids at the International Astronomical Search Collaboration Asteroids Search Campaign event. Mateus creates an Instagram profile called "@AstronomiaLab" and shares his astronomical photos taken by cell phone with the 4.5" telescope. He currently gains nearly 3,000 followers and keeps sharing his amazing astronomical photos. For more information about Mateus, please visit his Instagram profile at https://www.instagram.com/AstronomiaLab/.
