Tanvi: I am Tanvi Batra and I am studying at the University of California, Berkeley I am also a Research Assistant at UC Berkeley's Space Science Laboratory. I got the opportunity to become a scanner in my freshman year. The ZTF NEA scanning project was a perfect start to learn about research and being a part of discovery. By the next year, I was able to take on a larger role and help facilitate joint observations between Caltech's ZTF and JPL's SRO robotic telescope. Some of my hobbies include learning about aerospace and playing soccer!

Samridh: After my Secondary school with a focus on math and science I got into the country's premier college, IIT Bombay. Here I was fortunate enough to find like-minded people who further propelled my interest in astronomy and space technologies. I was interested in astronomy from a young age thanks to the books lent to me by my sister. I joined the SPACE club in my Middle School, and later participated in civilian science projects and also scanning for asteroids. When I finally got into IIT Bombay, I got to work with Prof. Varun Bhalerao and soon enough I became a scanner. I like to write, I play the guitar, ukulele, flute and harmonica. I also like taking part in drama plays but don't forget the outdoors and swimming.

Divya: I have a background in astronomy and joined ZTF as a scanner in 2022 out of my passion for near-Earth objects. It’s exciting to contribute to planetary defense in a hands-on way. In my free time, I enjoy reading and stargazing.

Yogesh: I began my academic journey with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering but my growing interest in physics led me to pursue a master’s at IIT Bombay, where I joined STARLab. That’s where my research path began to take shape. I started with my MSc thesis project: detecting Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) using the GROWTH-India Telescope (GIT). I was thrilled to be part of the discovery of my first asteroid during that time. I was involved in the development of a Python software package named Astreaks that performs astrometry and photometry of NEAs observed in non-sidereal mode while also operating the fully robotic GIT to observe and detect the NEAs we followed up. That how I joined the ZTF NEA scanning team. After some training, I began scanning independently and have since contributed to detecting 43 NEOs. Apart from research, I love reading books and hiking into nature in search of dark skies. I aspire to pursue research in astronomy and astrophysics.

Tanvi: What I love about discovering NEAs over any other cosmic object is that they help to decipher a lot about the remains of the formation of our solar system, and in discovery, keep a keen eye to protect Earth. The combination of scientific discovery and informational defense is what excites me academically.

Samridh:Asteroids are essentially cosmic time capsules and their proximity to Earth makes them perfect candidates for analysis and potentially mining valuable resources. So this excitement about space rocks we could actually touch (or that might touch us, involuntarily) comes naturally. It's like having a geological sample of the early solar system that occasionally swings by to say hello. The fact that these celestial packages might one day provide us with rare metals without having to dig massive holes in our own planet which is already running low on them is what really gets me excited.

Divya: They are close to home and full of surprises — tracking them feels like solving a cosmic puzzle with real-world importance.

Yogesh: I was introduced to observational astronomy through NEA detection, so they have a special place in my journey. For someone new to the field, NEA projects offer an accessible entry point because of the abundance of observational opportunities each night and the availability of rich archival data. But studying NEAs is far from trivial. They’re fast-moving, require precise tracking, and detecting them, especially the faint, newly discovered ones, is a technical challenge. Missions like NASA’s DART, which successfully demonstrated asteroid deflection, show how NEA research directly feeds into planetary defense strategies. NEAs gave me my start in astronomy, and their mix of hands-on challenges and Earth-saving relevance inspires me. To anyone starting out: they’re a thrilling way to learn and a reminder that astronomy isn’t just about stars; it’s about our home, too.

Tanvi: The most interesting object I found was 2024 OT1, using JPL’s SRO robotic telescope. What made this discovery stand out to me was that, for the first time, I was able to confidently submit an NEA observation using just a single streak, rather than the usual double or multiple streaks. This challenged me to adapt my process and develop a new approach to identifying these objects when limited information is available — specifically in cases where only a single streak is visible.

Samridh: 2024 VF2 takes the crown as the most fascinating NEA in my collection. This asteroid buzzed Earth in November 2024 at just 0.00887 AU (about 3.5 times the lunar distance), which in cosmic terms is basically tailgating. What makes VF2 special is its ridiculously small Earth MOID(Minimum orbit intersection distance, not the actual closest approach distance) of only 0.0036 AU - that's just 1.4 times the lunar distance! This makes it a PHO(potentially hazardous object!) It has a highly eccentric orbit stretching from 0.98 AU to 3.55 AU, giving it one of the most dramatic orbital paths among its peers. It's taking the scenic route through our solar system while occasionally photobombing our telescopes.

Yogesh: It is hard to pick just one out of the 43 NEAs I have helped to discover, but I find the objects with very fast apparent motion or unusually close flybys particularly compelling. These tend to stand out in ZTF images due to their clear movement across multiple exposures, and knowing that the object has never been observed before adds an extra sense of excitement. Each detection still feels meaningful, and no two discoveries are identical. I do secretly hope that one day I might contribute to the discovery of a potentially hazardous asteroid. It would be incredibly rewarding to contribute to something that could eventually inform missions like DART or future efforts to mitigate asteroid impact risks.

Tanvi: If I had the opportunity of naming an asteroid, I would name it Batra — after my last name — in honor of my family. Every member of my family has, in some way, helped shape who I am and supported me on my journey, ultimately leading me to the point of discovering asteroids. It would be a small way of recognizing their role in everything I have achieved.

Samridh: As much as I want to name it after myself (because who doesn't want a potentially hazardous space rock bearing their name?), I'd go with "Narada." In Hindu mythology, Narada is the cosmic messenger who travels between Earth, heaven, and the underworld spreading knowledge. These asteroids are essentially cosmic messengers themselves, carrying information about our solar system's birth and evolution as they journey across the heavens. Plus, if this particular asteroid ever decides to visit Earth a bit too closely, we can just blame it on Narada's notorious reputation for stirring up trouble wherever he goes!

Yogesh: Kamehameha. I just think it sounds cool and powerful. It also happens to be a fitting name if the asteroid were a potentially hazardous one.

Yogesh: ZTF conducts survey observations every night, usually taking 30-second exposures in the g- and r-bands. While the main goal is to discover new transients, this also includes Near-Earth Objects (NEOs). Because NEAs have high apparent motion compared to background stars, and ZTF observes in sidereal tracking mode (where it tracks stars), these asteroids appear as streaks in the images.

These images are then processed through machine learning and deep learning algorithms designed to identify those streaks. The system generates several thousand candidates each day. That’s where scanners like me come in, our job is to review these and mark the most promising ones. To confirm a detection, we need at least two streaks from different exposures. A single streak can’t tell us the direction of motion, but two can help estimate the object's trajectory.

The selected candidates then go through additional checks by the NEA team to rule out false positives like artificial satellites. A tool called Find_Orb helps verify whether a candidate has a heliocentric (Sun-centered) orbit, which is characteristic of NEAs. If a candidate looks good, its coordinates are submitted to the Minor Planet Center (MPC) under a temporary name like ZTs0394.

Other observatories around the world then follow up these objects. With more observations, we can refine the orbit, and if the object is confirmed as a real NEA, it’s given an official name, such as 2025 FR, either a brand-new discovery or a previously lost object.

Tanvi: My key contribution to NEA science with this scanning service is helping to detect, classify, and confirm fast-moving NEAs using ZTF images. I identify unknown streaks, help fit their orbits, and trigger follow-up observations with SRO to refine their positions and trajectories. This work directly improves NEA tracking, discovery rates, and our ability to monitor potentially hazardous objects.

Yogesh: Some NEAs make global headlines, especially those that have even a slight chance of colliding with Earth. For example, asteroid 2024 YR4 recently drew a lot of attention due to a small chance of impact in 2032, although that risk has now been ruled out.

By scanning these candidates, we contribute to the discovery of new NEAs, including potentially hazardous ones. The more we scan and follow up, the more discoveries we make. As the catalogue of known asteroids grows, we also improve the precision of their orbits. That opens the door to doing meaningful population studies, which can help answer big questions about the formation and evolution of the solar system.

As a scanner based in India, I scan during my daytime while it’s nighttime at Palomar. That time difference works perfectly, while ZTF is collecting observations, I can already start scanning the freshly filtered data. Occasionally, we’re even able to follow up on ZTF’s NEA candidates using the GROWTH-India Telescope (GIT), which helps refine their orbits even further.

Yogesh: Once a potential NEA is submitted to the Minor Planet Center, we can check if it appears on the NEO Confirmation Page (NEOCP). If it’s listed there, that means it’s a serious candidate.

From there, other observatories around the world can do follow-up observations. With enough data, the MPC checks if the object is a previously known NEA or a completely new one. The orbit becomes more precise with each observation, and eventually, the asteroid gets a permanent designation. We can track all of this in real-time, from candidate submission to confirmation, which makes every discovery feel like being part of a global team effort.

Tanvi: If we could really mine asteroids, I think the most common elements we’d probably find are iron, nickel, and silicates since those make up a large part of most asteroids. There’s also the potential for things like water or even rare metals like platinum depending on the type of asteroid, which makes asteroid mining super exciting from both a science and resource perspective.

Samridh: Asteroid mining would target three main categories: C-type (Carbonaceous): The organic-rich asteroids containing carbon compounds and water. These cosmic sponges could help us understand how life formed and potentially serve as interplanetary gas stations for future space missions. S-type (Silicaceous): These construction-ready asteroids are packed with silicates, nickel, and iron - perfect building blocks for our future space habitats. M-type (Metallic): The treasure chests of space! These contain iron, nickel, and platinum-group metals that would make any mining company quite happy. A single metallic asteroid could contain more platinum than has ever been mined on Earth. The M-types are what have billionaires eyeing the skies, as they could potentially solve resource scarcity issues on Earth. Though I suspect the shipping costs might be considerable!

Tanvi: I think the next big leap in NEA science is going to be improving detection technology, especially for smaller and faster-moving objects that are harder to catch with current surveys. Things like better machine learning algorithms, faster sky surveys, and even space-based telescopes dedicated to NEA hunting could really change the game and help us find potentially hazardous objects earlier.

Samridh: The next big leap for asteroid science according to me is developing better methods to determine composition without having to send a spacecraft for a sample. We're making progress analyzing light curves and rotational properties, combined with reflectivity measurements, but imagine if we could really figure out what these space rocks are made of from afar!

Our ZTF system is already making great strides in detecting these objects, but improving our ability to quickly characterize them would be revolutionary. After all, knowing there's a valuable asteroid passing by doesn't help much if we can't identify it until it's already gone!

And OSIRIS-REx bringing back those samples from Bennu was critical too. Those 250 grams of space rock are revealing so much about the early solar system and how asteroids might have delivered water and organics to Earth. The surface was surprisingly loose and low-density too, which totally changes how we think about these objects.

The real breakthrough will come when we can take what we've learned from these sample returns and apply it to create better Earth-based detection systems. If we can reliably identify both the dangerous rocks and the valuable ones without visiting each one, we'll be set for both planetary protection and future resource utilization in space!