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Minor Planet Named After Russian Comedian
By Interfax
posted: 01:44 pm ET
29 May 2002
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KYIV KYIV. May 29 (Interfax-Ukraine) - During his summer tour of the Crimea, Russian comedian Mikhail Zadornov will receive a diploma from the International Astronomical Union saying that a minor planet discovered by scientists from the Crimean astrophysical observatory has been named after him. "There are not so many witty people, they are always loved," leading staff member of the observatory Nikolai Chernykh told Interfax giving the reason for the choice of the name. Chernykh said that Lyudmila, his wife and colleague, had discovered the planet. It is the prerogative of the discoverer to name a new planet and the idea came from the son of the astronomers. In 2001 their choice was approved by the International Astronomical Union commission that comprises scientists from 10 countries, including the United States, Japan, Russia, Germany, Britain, Austria and the Czech Republic. The minor planet Mikhail Zadornov has been registered in the international catalogue of minor planets with a stable orbit as No. 5043. It has a diameter of 12 kilometers, makes one revolution every five years and is visible from the earth once every 15 months. Chernykh said that the Crimean observatory is the only place in the former Soviet Union where minor planets are discovered. Out of the 5,000 planets discovered by the photographic method, 1,270 were discovered in the Crimea.
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