[meteorite-list] Oh, my!

From: Darren Garrison <cynapse_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed, 03 Oct 2007 10:12:38 -0400
Message-ID: <qp87g395omkcvq3kuuvquph8l3fdgd9gqo_at_4ax.com>

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/space/10/03/takei.asteroid.ap/index.html

Asteroid renamed for 'Star Trek' actor

NEW YORK (AP) -- A piece of outer space named for George Takei is in kind of a
rough neighborhood for somebody who steers a starship: an asteroid belt.An
asteroid between Mars and Jupiter has been renamed 7307 Takei in honor of the
actor, best known for his role as Hikaru Sulu in the original "Star Trek" series
and movies.

"I am now a heavenly body," Takei, 70, said Tuesday, laughing. "I found out
about it yesterday. ... I was blown away. It came out of the clear, blue sky --
just like an asteroid."

The celestial rock, discovered by two Japanese astronomers in 1994, was formerly
known as 1994 GT9. It joins the 4659 Roddenberry (named for the show's creator,
Gene Roddenberry) and the 68410 Nichols (for co-star Nichelle Nichols, who
played Lt. Uhura). Other main-belt asteroids have been named for science fiction
luminaries Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov.

The renaming of 7307 Takei was approved by the International Astronomical
Union's Committee on Small Body Nomenclature. About 14,000 asteroid names have
been approved by the panel, while about 165,000 asteroids have been identified
and numbered, union spokesman Lars Lindberg Christensen said.

Unlike the myriad Web sites that offer to sell naming rights to stars, the IAU
committee-approved names are actually used by astronomers, said Tom Burbine, the
Mount Holyoke College astronomy professor who proposed the name swap.

"This is the name that will be used for all eternity," he said.

Burbine said he suggested Takei's name in part out of appreciation for his work
with the Japanese American Citizens League and with the gay rights group Human
Rights Campaign. Takei, a spokesman for HRC's Coming Out Project, was cultural
affairs chairman of the JACL, and he was appointed to the Japan-U.S. Friendship
Commission by former President Clinton.

Takei has appeared on NBC's "Heroes" and appears regularly on Howard Stern's
satellite radio show.

Under the committee's policies, whoever discovers an asteroid has 10 years in
which to propose a name. After that, the panel considers other suggestions,
although it warns would-be namers to avoid anything "in questionable taste" and
any names honoring political or military figures sooner than 100 years after
their deaths.
Received on Wed 03 Oct 2007 10:12:38 AM PDT