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OCTOBER 6, 2007
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MR. SULU NOW FLYS
WITH THE STARS...
Group renames asteroid
for George Takei
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By SAMANTHA GROSS, Associated Press
NEW 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.
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