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Path: utzoo!utcs!mnetor!mot!coffin
From: coffin@mot.UUCP (Dracula)
Newsgroups: net.astro
Subject: Re: Name your own star
Message-ID: <516@mot.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 27-Feb-86 10:54:17 EST
Article-I.D.: mot.516
Posted: Thu Feb 27 10:54:17 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 27-Feb-86 20:11:26 EST
References: <693@well.UUCP> <416@utastro.UUCP>
Organization: The Graveyard
Lines: 35

> In article <693@well.UUCP>, wvucenic@well.UUCP (Wayne Vucenic) writes:
> > 
> > My friend is trying to locate an organization which he's heard about that's
> > in the business of, for a fee, naming a star for you.  (The organization
> > might be on the west coast.)  He's contacted a few of the local
> > astronomical societies, and they know of this organization, but they
> > disagree with the whole idea, so they won't provide a pointer to the
> > organization.
> > 
> I can't help you, but someone should clarify this point every few months.
> Objections are not that the idea is hokey, or that it`s terrible to name stars
> after people.  It`s just that the only organization with the legal right
> to name astronomical objects is the International Astronomical Union.
> Any other organization claiming to do so is defrauding people.
> I should mention that some astronomical organizations do similar things
> to raise money, but it is made clear at the time that the certificate they
> send you has no legal standing.
> -- 
> "Ma, I've been to another      Ethan Vishniac
>  planet!"                      {charm,ut-sally,ut-ngp,noao}!utastro!ethan
>                                ethan@astro.UTEXAS.EDU
>                                Department of Astronomy
>                                University of Texas

I had a star named after my dog.
Her name:
	
	:-):-):-):-):-)
	:=)         :-)
	:-)  Rigel  :-)
	:-)         :-)
	:-):-):-):-):-)

		       Chris Coffin
		       ihnp4!mot!coffin