Scarsdale teen’s internship at NASA leads to planet discovery

A Scarsdale teenager went way beyond during his internship with NASA last summer.

News 12 Staff

Jan 9, 2020, 10:12 PM

Updated 1,567 days ago

Share:

A Scarsdale teenager went way beyond during his internship with NASA last summer.
Wolf Cukier, 17, says his experience was like a Star Wars movie.
“I discovered a planet. It has two stars which it orbits around. So, if you think to Luke's homeworld, Tatooine, from Star Wars, it's like that. Every sunset, there's gonna be two stars setting,” says Cukier.
Cukier, a senior at Scarsdale High School, says the discovery happened on the third day of a two-month internship. His role consisted of examining images through a TESS telescope.
He alerted his mentors when one graph stood out, and that’s when the excitement began.
"There were some ups and downs in our confidence along the way. But it was cool and it was exciting to see that process,” shared Cukier.
News 12 is told the teen made history because his finding was the first ever discovery using the TESS telescope. The planet named TOI 1338b sits 1,300 light years away, meaning our sun is about 7 to 9 light minutes away.
When discussing his higher education plans, Cukier says his "top three choices are Princeton, MIT and Stanford."


More from News 12
2:29
Traffic delays and road closures expected as Irvington set to host President Joe Biden today

Traffic delays and road closures expected as Irvington set to host President Joe Biden today

1:47
Sunny and pleasant today, freeze warnings overnight

Sunny and pleasant today, freeze warnings overnight

1:07
Schools in Westchester County announce early dismissals ahead of President Biden's visit

Schools in Westchester County announce early dismissals ahead of President Biden's visit

1:53
Shop Mother’s Day Gifts – Exclusive Offers Up to 75% OFF!

Shop Mother’s Day Gifts – Exclusive Offers Up to 75% OFF!

Ready to explore the great outdoors? These 14 tips can help you stay safe while hiking

Ready to explore the great outdoors? These 14 tips can help you stay safe while hiking

0:22
Police: 29-year-old man dies after burning incident at Warwick Park

Police: 29-year-old man dies after burning incident at Warwick Park

1:49
Human remains unearthed during drainage work in Putnam County

Human remains unearthed during drainage work in Putnam County

2:30
Biden campaign reports blockbuster fundraising hauls ahead of visit

Biden campaign reports blockbuster fundraising hauls ahead of visit

0:23
Westchester DA: Ex-Mamaroneck library employee stole over $40,000 from library

Westchester DA: Ex-Mamaroneck library employee stole over $40,000 from library

0:42
Yonkers Spano releases proposed budget for 2025

Yonkers Spano releases proposed budget for 2025

1:54
State budget excludes aid for Orange County storm victims, lawmakers criticize Gov. Hochul

State budget excludes aid for Orange County storm victims, lawmakers criticize Gov. Hochul

1:52
Final negotiations on Carmel schools' budget linger late into the night

Final negotiations on Carmel schools' budget linger late into the night

0:40
Hochul: $33 million allocated to mental health in the state budget to expand services for felons

Hochul: $33 million allocated to mental health in the state budget to expand services for felons

0:31
Yonkers official calls for protection of city’s war memorial from graffiti, vandalism

Yonkers official calls for protection of city’s war memorial from graffiti, vandalism

2:07
​Officials hope to implement noise cameras to combat loud noise from street racing in Greenburgh

​Officials hope to implement noise cameras to combat loud noise from street racing in Greenburgh

0:36
Police: Father pleads guilty to string of burglaries from 2022

Police: Father pleads guilty to string of burglaries from 2022

0:28
President Biden's visit prompts early dismissals in Westchester schools

President Biden's visit prompts early dismissals in Westchester schools

Vote 2024: Ask your questions for Congressional District 16 Democratic candidates

Vote 2024: Ask your questions for Congressional District 16 Democratic candidates

0:31
Mount St. Mary College welcomes new president

Mount St. Mary College welcomes new president

0:57
Airlines will now be required to give automatic cash refunds for canceled and delayed flights

Airlines will now be required to give automatic cash refunds for canceled and delayed flights