You know that you have really reached star status when you get an asteroid named after you.
Just ask “Star Trek” actor George Takei. An asteroid between Mars and Jupiter has just been renamed 7307 Takei in honor of the actor whom many of us known best for playing Hikaru Sulu in the original “Star Trek” series and movies.
“I am now a heavenly body,” Takei told reporters upon hearing about the honor. “I found out about it yesterday. … I was blown away. It came out of the clear, blue sky – just like an asteroid.”
The 70-year-old actor says the renaming is the real deal. It is just as authentic as the asteroid itself, which was discovered by two Japanese astronomers in 1994. The celestial rock was formerly known as 1994 GT9, but now it has a name that befits its outer space neighborhood, which is also home to 4659 Roddenberry (named for the show’s creator, Gene Roddenberry) and the 68410 Nichols (for co-star Nichelle Nichols, who played Lt. Uhura).
The International Astronomical Union’s Committee on Small Body Nomenclature approved the renaming of the asteroid to reflect Takei’s name in much the same way it has done with about 14,000 other asteroids. Obtaining approval by the committee means that unlike the thousands of websites, which offer to sell naming rights to stars, professional astronomers will refer to Takei’s asteroid for all of eternity.
Takei says he was told that his name was chosen in part out of appreciation for his work with the Japanese American Citizens League and with the gay rights group Human Rights Campaign. Among his many accomplishments, Takei was appointed to the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission by former President Clinton. Since his “Star Trek” days came to an end Takei has appeared on NBC’s “Heroes” and also shows up regularly on Howard Stern’s satellite radio show.
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