In 2021, during space observation and research activities at the Düzce Science and Art Center (BILSEM), a celestial body identified as an "asteroid" was confirmed. This asteroid is categorized as a fragment of rock and metal that orbits the sun.
The project was led by Ayşe Arslan, a science teacher at Düzce BILSEM who has been engaged in space observation for five years, along with Ömer Selim Esen, a 14-year-old ninth grade student at Düzce Turgut Özal Anadolu High School. Their work was part of the "Asteroid Discovery Campaign," supported by the International Astronomical Search Collaboration (IASC).
As part of this initiative, amateur astronomers sought to identify new asteroids. Arslan and Esen successfully detected a celestial body in 2021, which was subsequently registered as a new asteroid by the IASC. This significant discovery also granted them the privilege of naming the asteroid.
Ayşe Arslan shared her excitement with Anadolu Agency (AA), noting that after their application to the Asteroid Discovery Campaign was accepted, they began their observations using data sets provided to them. They utilized specialized software to analyze the data and submitted their reports to the Minor Planet Center of the IASC.
After three years of awaiting confirmation, they received an email notifying them that the celestial body they discovered was the first asteroid identified by Turkish researchers. Arslan emphasized the scientific value of this discovery, stating, "The identification of this asteroid marks the first time a celestial body has been discovered in the solar system by Turkish researchers, which is incredibly significant for both us and Türkiye."
Ömer Selim Esen expressed his pride in their discovery, recalling, "We discovered this asteroid three years ago. A long time has passed, but I still remember that moment vividly. It is very valuable to me." Driven by his curiosity about astronomy, Esen has been involved in various projects at BILSEM for seven years.
