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The competition, now in its fourth year, evaluated young students from across the country on their ability to creatively communicate complex astronomy and space science concepts to the public.
Evaluating the Next Generation of Science Communicators
More than 133 young participants nationwide submitted online entries for the 2026 competition cycle. NARIT filtered this pool down to 10 finalists—five from lower primary and five from upper primary grade levels—who presented their work live before a panel of astronomy and science communication judges.
The initiative acts as a grassroots talent pipeline, building foundational presentation skills that technical institutions and research bodies rely on for public outreach.
The Winning Projects and Breakdown
The final round showcased diverse topics spanning astrophysics and planetary science. In the lower primary division, contestants tackled stellar lifecycles and lunar mechanics. In the upper primary division, participants moved into advanced stellar phenomena.
Here are the official results from the August 17, 2026 final round:
- Lower Primary Division:
- First Prize: Patcharatida Ngamdee (Lopburi Kindergarten School) – The Different Lives of the Stars
- First Runner-Up: Phorjai Tangmanussukhum (Saint Francis Xavier Convent School) – The Marvelous Super Full Moon
- Honorable Mention: Paphontee Pholsri (Non Thai School) – Adventure to the Edge of the Sky
- Honorable Mention: Thanatporn Tangdee (Ban Tha Yang (Prachasan) School) – Solar Storms… When the Sun Signals Earth
- First Runner-Up: Natthavee Thailala (Thetsaban Ban Khuha Sawan School) – The Dark Paradox: A Journey Through Time and Gravity
- First Runner-Up (Tied/Awarded): Kanyasutchaya Chuanboon (Saint Francis Xavier Convent School) – The Star That Never Stops Moving
- Honorable Mention: Natcha Suphasantitikul (Thetsaban Ban Khuha Sawan School) – Neutron Stars: The hidden wonders of the cosmos
- Honorable Mention: Baworawong Kiatpanyaophat (Pratuangthip Wittaya School) – The Super Full Moon!
Long-Term Impact on National STEM Literacy
Established as an ongoing annual event, the Little Star Contest targets primary school demographics to establish early science communication habits. By forcing students to structure their own educational narratives around real data points—such as the orbital mechanics of super full moons or the physics behind solar flares—NARIT aims to counter scientific illiteracy at the foundational level.
