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From: ethan@utastro.UUCP (Ethan Vishniac)
Newsgroups: net.astro
Subject: Re:re:re: Female Planets
Message-ID: <57@utastro.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 24-Apr-85 12:17:56 EST
Article-I.D.: utastro.57
Posted: Wed Apr 24 12:17:56 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 26-Apr-85 22:24:22 EST
References: <1305@drusd.UUCP>
Organization: U. Texas, Astronomy, Austin, TX
Lines: 21

[]
> If you want to tip the balance, some observatories and planetariums will name a
> star after you for a small donation.  It's one way they raise money.  There is
> no need to rush.  There are plenty of stars to go around although many of the
> better ones are already taken.
> 
A brief warning may be in order.  I know of no observatory or planetarium which
will name a star after someone in return for a donation.  There may be some
that do it as a gag,  *but* only the International Astronomical Union is
authorized to name extraterrestrial objects and places (by international 
treaty).  There are some ripoff artists who take peoples' money in exchange for
naming stars after the person of your choice.  This has no legal standing.  If
you look at the fine print you will find that what they really do is copyright
a catalog which matches the chosen names with NGC numbers.  This does not mean
that these names become the names of the cataloged stars.  It means no one
else can copy the catalog with the names (but who would want to?).

"Don't argue with a fool.      Ethan Vishniac
 Borrow his money."            {charm,ut-sally,ut-ngp,noao}!utastro!ethan
                               Department of Astronomy
                               University of Texas