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news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071002/ap_on_sc/takei_asteroidNEW YORK - George Takei already had a place among the stars in the
minds of millions of "Star Trek" fans.
Now he's taking up permanent residence as the namesake of the asteroid
formerly known as the 1994 GT9. The asteroid, located between Mars and
Jupiter, has been renamed 7307 Takei in honor of the actor, who is best
known for his role as Hikaru Sulu in the original "Star Trek" series.
"I am now a heavenly body," Takei 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,
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 are already named for science fiction
luminaries Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov.
"It's in general considered quite an honor," Lars Lindberg Christensen,
spokesman for the International Astronomical Union, said of the latest
renaming, which was approved by the 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, he 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.
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.
Takei, 70, said he and his "Star Trek" co-stars had always stuck to
discussing more earthly honors.
We were "privileged to work on a show that had this kind of a vision
for our future, but we're actors," he said by telephone from his Los
Angeles home. "Yes, we all lobbied ... for a star on Hollywood Boulevard,
but never a star up in the heavens."
Burbine, who also has put a number of his astronomy colleagues up for
consideration, said he suggested Takei's name in part out of
appreciation for his work with the Japanese American Citizens League and with
leading 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.
Most recently, Takei has appeared on NBC's "Heroes," playing Hiro
Nakamura's father. He also appears regularly on Howard Stern's satellite radio show.
Oh my!!!!