Becoming an Astronomer

My fascination with astronomy began when I was in third grade of primary school (2003) — a small spark that would eventually grow into a lifelong passion. It all started when I watched an astronomy documentary on TV with my father. Captivated by the wonders of space, I began writing down everything I learned in a little notebook. That simple habit became the foundation of my curiosity about the universe.

During secondary school (2007–2009), I started saving my pocket money to buy astronomy books — one by one collecting books about the planets and the solar system. My journey became even brighter when I joined the Astronomy Olympiad, part of the Indonesian Science Olympiad organized by the Ministry of Education.

In high school (2010–2013), my first year in the competition ended at the provincial level, but in my second year, I proudly represented my province in the National Science Olympiad in Jakarta. Although I didn’t win a medal, that experience made me realize that there were many others who shared the same love for astronomy. I returned home not with a medal, but with a stronger passion and deeper curiosity about the cosmos.

After graduating from high school, I was accepted into the Astronomy program at Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) (2013–2017). This marked the beginning of my professional journey in astronomy. In my second year (2014), I joined two friends, Nimas and Alif, on a research project studying the Balinese calendar and its astronomical calculations. We traveled to Bali to conduct field research, and our findings were later presented at a conference in Krabi, Thailand (2015) and eventually published in the History and Heritage of Astronomy journal (2021) — my first scientific paper as an astronomer.

As my studies continued, I became fascinated with computational astrophysics — a field that combines data analysis and simulation to model astronomical phenomena. While many students were drawn to observational astronomy at the Bosscha Observatory, using telescopes and instruments to observe the skies, I found my passion in the computational side of the science — modeling, simulating, and analyzing big datasets to understand the dynamics of celestial objects.

My main focus was on stellar systems and galactic dynamics, particularly how stars move and evolve within galaxies. This interest led to my undergraduate final project, which involved the search for solar siblings — stars that were possibly born from the same cluster as our Sun. Using computational models, I simulated the gravitational field of the Milky Way and traced the orbits of stars to identify potential siblings of the Sun.

After completing my undergraduate studies in 2017, I continued with a fast-track Master’s program in Astronomy at ITB (2017–2018). My thesis focused on the dynamical evolution of binary star clusters in the Milky Way and the Large Magellanic Cloud. During this time, I also contributed to several research papers, continuing to explore the complex and beautiful interactions that shape our galaxy.

This is my journey as an astronomer — one that began with childhood curiosity, grew through years of study and research, and continues as a lifelong love for the cosmos. Even though I am now working as a Software Developer, astronomy will always remain a part of who I am. It’s more than just a field I once studied — it’s a way of seeing the universe, a source of inspiration, and a passion that continues to guide me, no matter where life takes me.

Below are my list of scientific research. Enjoy reading the papers!

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