Asteroid Named After Star Trek's Sulu

October 02, 2007
Samantha Gross
THE 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 honour 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 honour," 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 websites 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 honouring 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 honours.

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.