wvucenic@well.UUCP (Wayne Vucenic) (02/22/86)
(I'm posting this for a friend who doesn't have net access.)
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. (My friend is well aware this "naming a star" bit is
pretty hokey, but he's interested in doing this as a romantic gesture.)
Any pointers would be appreciated. Please mail to me directly, as I don't
usually follow this newsgroup.
Thanks 1 x 10**6 for any help...
=============================================================================
Wayne Vucenic
...{ucbvax, ihnp4, allegra, decvax}!hplabs!well!wvucenic
=============================================================================ethan@utastro.UUCP (Ethan Vishniac) (02/24/86)
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
weemba@brahms.BERKELEY.EDU (Matthew P. Wiener) (02/27/86)
The following discussion is from net.astro: >> 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. This is an interesting point. I agree that non-IAU claims are fraudulent, and that their certificates are merely paper suitable for wrapping fish. But what does it mean to say that the IAU has an exclusive legal right to name astronomical objects? It sounds like a very strange law/treaty to me. Why is Big Dipper OK but Fred's Galaxy not, speaking de jure? Neither name is IAU sanctioned. Knowledgeable clarification welcome. ucbvax!brahms!weemba Matthew P Wiener/UCB Math Dept/Berkeley CA 94720
coffin@mot.UUCP (Dracula) (02/27/86)
> 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
crickman@umn-cs.UUCP (Robin Crickman) (03/02/86)
> after people. It`s just that the only organization with the legal right > to name astronomical objects is the International Astronomical Union. > -- > "Ma, I've been to another Ethan Vishniac > planet!" {charm,ut-sally,ut-ngp,noao}!utastro!ethan How is this "right" enforced? Is un-authorized naming a crime? Are naming pirates subject to civil penalties and damages if the IAU choses to sue? John Hasler (guest of ...ihnp4!umn-cs!crickman)
dave@quest.UUCP (David Messer) (03/04/86)
> > after people. It`s just that the only organization with the legal right > > to name astronomical objects is the International Astronomical Union. > How is this "right" enforced? Is un-authorized naming a crime? Are naming > pirates subject to civil penalties and damages if the IAU choses to sue? No, just everybody ignores names that arn't approved. I guess you can have your own names for stars if you like -- might be a bit confusing though if you start naming them all "bruce". -- +-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+ | Disclaimer: | David Messer | | I'm always right and I never lie. | | | My company knows this and agrees | UUCP: ...ihnp4!quest!dave | | with everything I say. | FIDO: 14/415 (Sysop) | +-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
ethan@utastro.UUCP (Ethan Vishniac) (03/06/86)
> > after people. It`s just that the only organization with the legal right > > to name astronomical objects is the International Astronomical Union. > > -- > How is this "right" enforced? Is un-authorized naming a crime? Are naming > pirates subject to civil penalties and damages if the IAU choses to sue? > > John Hasler (guest of ...ihnp4!umn-cs!crickman) I'm not a lawyer, but in practice what it means is that no one pays any attention whatsoever to names "assigned" by such people. It also means that when and if specific extraterrestrial locations are mentioned in laws or treaties then the names used will be the IAU names. People have urged that the IAU sue "naming pirates" for fraud but this seems an absurd overreaction to me (and apparently to the governing board of the IAU). -- "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
ayers@convex.UUCP (03/07/86)
>...might be a bit confusing though if you start naming them all "bruce".
No, just if you call all but one of them "bruce"...
<You don't mind if we call you bruce, do you?>
bruce, IIbill@utastro.UUCP (William H. Jefferys) (03/09/86)
In article <472@utastro.UUCP>, ethan@utastro.UUCP (Ethan Vishniac) writes: > > > after people. It`s just that the only organization with the legal right > > > to name astronomical objects is the International Astronomical Union. > > > -- > > How is this "right" enforced? Is un-authorized naming a crime? Are naming > > pirates subject to civil penalties and damages if the IAU choses to sue? > > > > I'm not a lawyer, but in practice what it means is that no one pays any > attention whatsoever to names "assigned" by such people. It also means > that when and if specific extraterrestrial locations are mentioned in laws > or treaties then the names used will be the IAU names. People have urged > that the IAU sue "naming pirates" for fraud but this seems an absurd > overreaction to me (and apparently to the governing board of the IAU). > -- There is more to it than this. This IAU is one of a number of organizations that are members of the International Council of Scientific Unions, which is in turn established in part by international treaties, to which the United States is party. And according to the Constitution, Article VI, treaties made under the authority of the United States are the law of the land. I don't know how far you can push this (with respect to the question of naming astronomical objects), but when I discussed this today with Harlan Smith (Director of McDonald Observatory), he remarked that of course anyone is free to call anything anything he wants to, but such private names have no force; I could call New York "Greater Appleville", for example, but I shouldn't expect the post office to deliver mail addressed that way! If I find out anything more about this, I will post a followup. -- Glend. I can call spirits from the vasty deep. Hot. Why, so can I, or so can any man; But will they come when you do call for them? -- Henry IV Pt. I, III, i, 53 Bill Jefferys 8-% Astronomy Dept, University of Texas, Austin TX 78712 (USnail) {allegra,ihnp4}!{ut-sally,noao}!utastro!bill (UUCP) bill@astro.UTEXAS.EDU. (Internet)