It is the IAU that has the power to say what a planet is and that decided to place Pluto in another category, that of dwarf planets. I told myself th… - Zara Randriamanakoto

The reality is that astronomy is a long-term investment, and although its benefits might not always be evident it has significant impact in many ways.

I studied astronomy because it was an opportunity that I could not miss and a challenge that I wanted to take up. Madagascar needed young experts in this field given its involvement in the South African SKA project as an African partner country during South Africa's bid to host SKA, the future largest observatory in the world. Today, astronomy has also become my great passion.

I am often asked why I study astronomy and how useful it is in our daily lives. The reality is that astronomy is a long-term investment, and although its benefits might not always be evident it has significant impact in many ways.