1st ILMT Contest: Detection and Characterization of Resident Space Object Streaks

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ILMT Telescope
The ILMT building under the night sky, with the Milky Way visible and space satellites passing over the zenith.
Credit: Harshwardhan Pathak
ILMT Telescope
Earth surrounded by Low Earth Orbit (LEO) space debris.
Credit: NASA ODPO.

About the contest

The 1st ILMT Contest is a nationwide astronomical data analysis competition organized using data from the 4-m International Liquid Mirror Telescope (ILMT). This initiative aims to bring together students to work on real observational data and develop innovative solutions for detecting and analysing streaks in astronomical images, which are mostly caused by passing satellites and space debris.

With the rapid increase in artificial objects orbiting Earth, identifying and tracking Resident Space Objects (RSO) has become a critical challenge in modern astronomy. ILMT, with its continuous sky monitoring capability, provides a unique dataset ideal for detecting such object streaks. This contest encourages participants to design automated algorithms for streak detection and characterization, contributing to ongoing efforts in Space Situational Awareness (SSA).


Contest objectives

Participants will focus on developing methods to detect streaks in astronomical images and characterize their properties. The challenge promotes skills in image processing and data analysis, while working with real survey data.


Awards & Opportunities

Top 10 selected participants will receive the following opportunities:

  • Presentation of their work at a conference organized by a renowned Indian institute in 2027.
  • Certificates of participation and recognition.

Organizing Committee

Prof. Jean Surdej

Université de Liège, Belgium

Dr. Kuntal Misra

ARIES, Nainital

Mr. Kumar Pranshu

ARIES, Nainital

Mr. Sarvesh Kumar Yadav

ARIES, Nainital

Mr. Gokul Mehra

ARIES, Nainital

Ms. Priyanshi Kumari

ARIES, Nainital

Timeline of the contest

Registration opens 1 May 2026
Registration closes 31 May 2026
ILMT contest objectives & materials provided to the registered participants 1-8 June 2026
Phase 1 submission deadline 15 November 2026
Phase 2 submission deadline 31 December 2026
Result announcement 15 February 2027

Submission Process

The contest will be conducted in two phases:

Phase 1: Initial Submission

Participants are required to process the provided test dataset and submit a CSV file containing the results.

Phase 2: Final Submission

Additional Notes

Dataset & Contest Material Accessibility

Access to the dataset and associated materials will be granted exclusively to registered participants of the contest. Password-protected dataset and a sample Python notebook will be provided for reference via email after the registration deadline.

Participants are required to adhere to the following guidelines:

Registration

Register Here




Deadline for registration: 31 May 2026

Eligibility of participants for the 1st ILMT contest

Participants must belong to one of the following academic categories:

Undergraduate and postgraduate students

Students currently enrolled in any of the following degree programs:

Eligible disciplines include:

Doctoral candidates

PhD scholars in:

Note

Contact Us

FOR ANY QUERIES

Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES)
(An Autonomous Institute under the Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India)
Manora Peak, Nainital – 263001
Uttarakhand, India
Phone: +91-5942-270700 (Reception)