High School Sophomores Discover Asteroid

Several readers sent us the story of three high school sophomores in Racine, Wisconsin who were just notified that a celestial body they had discovered during a science project has been verified as an asteroid. The students at Racine's Prairie School will be given the opportunity to name the asteroid in about four years. They used a telescope in New Mexico, belonging to a college in Michigan, that they controlled over the Net.

Uhoh

[DrXym (126579)]

Let's hope its not called Wolf-Biederman

Re:

[Kamineko (851857)]

Curse your fast typing! :D

Re:Uhoh

[Goffee71 (628501)]

I'm guessing it'll be called Asteroid '[INSERT SCHOOL BULLY'S NAME HERE] is a dickwad' -
that would be sweet revenge for all science class geeks.

Re:Uhoh

[gsslay (807818)]

Nope.

It's going to be called omfg!noob!lol!111 Just so everyone knows how awesome and kewl it is.

Re:Uhoh

[BakaHoushi (786009)]

This reminds me. I work part time at a grocery store, where I've seen a set of stuffed animals whom allow you to name stars. When you buy it, you get a code to go to some international astronomy society (I can't remember its name off the top of my head) where you get to give a name to a star somewhere out there.

Now, this is kinda cute, and something I'm sure little kids might enjoy, and it's not like we are running out of stars. But someday, I can't help but picture a fateful day when we try to explain to our once-peaceful alien neighbors why the citizens of Earth have chosen to name the sun that their planet revolves around "Mr. Snugglekins III."

Thus beginning an inter-galactic war that will leave trillions dead.

My point is, having anyone other than scientists naming celestial bodies is a potential recipe for disaster. God forbid these kids decide to name it "Dick Face" and the asteroid decides it would rather be a meteorite...

Re:Uhoh

[Gospodin (547743)]

It might make you feel better to know that those star naming deals are scams. They are not creating official names. What they tell you (in very careful language) is that the name you choose will go in the [insert important-sounding catalog name]. But that catalog is really just one they keep. Scientists don't use it.

Also, according to Wikipedia [wikipedia.org], when these high-schoolers name the asteroid, the IAU gets to vet the name. If it's "Johnsmithisajerk", they'll probably say no.

Re:

[boris111 (837756)]

You mean that star my ex bought me meant nothing!

Re:

[jank1887 (815982)]

FYI: Toy name: Shining Stars website: www.shiningstars.com some international astronomy society: International Star Registry yup, the same guys that have been letting people buy star names for the past decade or so for about $50. The new $15 stuffed toy is a bargain. It even gives you a cheap Webkinz knockoff website to play on. Took my 6 year old less than a half hour to get thoroughly disgusted with it and request playing Webkinz next time. The toy itself is half decent though.

College in Michigan?

[ejdmoo (193585)]

Try Calvin College [calvin.edu]...yeesh. Just because Taco went to Hope [hope.edu] (bitter rivals)...grumble grumble...

Pictures of the telescope [calvin.edu].

Re:

[Korin43 (881732)]

Did anyone else see the headline and think "What took them for long, I've been playing Asteroid for years.."?

Why wait 4 years?

[Loibisch (964797)]

Can anyone please explain to me please why they can name "their" asteroid in about 4 years? I mean, it's cool to wait a little to make sure everything is alright and this wasn't just speck dust on the lens...but 4 years seems a long time to peer-verify something like this and give them permission to name it.

Also: I suppose those guys must ace all those two-picture "spot the 10 differences" tests after this...

Re:Why wait 4 years?

[RuBLed (995686)]

Hmmm.. maybe it got something to do with the estimated 5yr orbit of the asteroid. One has to be sure that it is a unique one and not another one that strayed from its recorded orbit. (by collision with another asteroid)

Obviously

[Smordnys s'regrepsA (1160895)]

Because they're in high school. If you let them to name the comet now, you'll only get suggestions such as "The Big ASSteroid" or "Your Junk" (I can just hear it now - "Your Junk is soo small, you need a telescope to find it"). I'm sure they're just giving them enough time to mature.

Re:

[ozmanjusri (601766)]

If you let them to name the comet now, you'll only get suggestions such as "The Big ASSteroid"

I vote for Mister Vacuumy Pants!

Re:Obviously

[Dachannien (617929)]

No kidding. People have been laughing at Uranus for years. It's no wonder that astronomers worldwide don't want to repeat that mistake.

Re:

[ibwolf (126465)]

People have been laughing at Uranus for years. It's no wonder that astronomers worldwide don't want to repeat that mistake.

Indeed, I move that we immediately rectify the situation and rename that planet Urectum!

Re:Why wait 4 years?

[rpillala (583965)]

It's because of the powerful asteroid naming lobby. Or the writer's strike.

too bad...

[Elminst (53259)]

will be given the opportunity to name the asteroid in about four years.
Unfortunately, this will be 5 months after it collides with the earth.

This is more common than you'd think

[ThreeGigs (239452)]

Bob Holmes' website:
http://ari.home.mchsi.com/index.htm/ [mchsi.com]

List of asteroids discovered this school year:
http://ari.home.mchsi.com/mp_discoveries_table_2007.htm/ [mchsi.com]

And some info on the telescope he uses to capture images:
http://bi-staff.beckman.uiuc.edu/~melockwo/telescopes/holmes32/holmes32.html/ [uiuc.edu]

Same deal as this article. He uploads pics for students at participating schools to work with.

Re:This is more common than you'd think

[CarAnalogy (1191053)]

404 "Object not found!"

Does that mean he didn't find any yet?

Re:

[Jugalator (259273)]

Remove the last slash on all the links.

Yes, it was sloppy, but we all know that file extensions don't end with a slash, right..? :-)

These gaming articles are boring

[$RANDOMLUSER (804576)]

Yesterday we get "What Was Your First Gaming Experience" and today it's "High School Sophomores Discover Asteroids". So what? Who hasn't played Asteroids? [wikipedia.org]

I doubt THEY really discovered it

[Martian_Kyo (1161137)]

The students also located other potential objects that may be asteroids, and are currently conducting follow-up research.

this leaves with the impression this guys just got lucky. It's like they identified each faint dot as an asteroid, and one just turned out to be exactly that. I imagine they just pointed at each dot

Students:Is this an asteroid?
someone knowledgeable:No
Students:Is this an asteroid?
someone knowledgeable:No
Students:Is this an asteroid?
someone knowledgeable:No..wait Yes
Students: Ha we are smart!

However I do give the students credit for initiative, it's refreshing to see that some kids still have interest in science (other then computing)

Re:

[yotto (590067)]

You wait a while and check again to see if it moved.

So let me get this straight

[CFD339 (795926)]

These kids are in high school. They're discovering new things. They spend a lot of time examining these new things they've discovered. They're to watch to see just how they move, and if the grow larger. Some time later, it is possible they'll have something named after them -- but they can't know for sure right away.

Yep. Sounds like high school to me.