Larry Sessions, a columnist for Earth & Sky, has suggested in his blog that the gamma-ray event whose radiation reached us a few hours before Arthur C. Clarke died, and which occurred 7.5 billion years ago, be named the Clarke Event. The outburst, which produced enough visible light to render it a naked-eye object across half the universe, is officially designated GRB 080319B. What more fitting tribute to Clarke than to associate his name with the greatest bang since the big one? Sessions suggests writing to any astronomers, heads of physics departments, or planetarium operators you know and talking up the proposal.
Seriously, what if there's a inhabited planet around one of those stars and they find out what we think of them some day? We might be the ones who end up getting the shock-and-awe treatment, with a Mother Of All Nova Bombs.
The only collection of objects that might deserve the name Cheney might be a scattering of parasite-ridden coyote droppings. Although given that scavenger dung may have better poll ratings . . .
What more fitting tribute to Clarke than to associate his name with the greatest bang since the big one?
With all respect due Mr. Clarke and his burst, I would like to point out that Eccentrica Gallumbits [wikipedia.org] is already well know as "the best bang since the big one".
So long, Mr. Clarke, and thanks for all the fiction...
Please proceed to the counter to have your geek card revoked for the combined failure in incorrectly citing a classic AND incorrectly using a hyperlink and inadvertently pointing out your own first failure.
It's simple! Get a hand-held radar gun, find Steve Ballmer in a public place and ensure there's an easily-throwable chair nearby. Then point to someone and tell Steve that the guy said the iPod was inferior to the Zune. Viola! All that suffers is your conscience.
What, having the single most valuable orbit type [wikipedia.org] named after him isn't enough? The orbit has the further advantage of actually being his idea.
It wasn't his idea, though he did popularize it in a 1945 story. Herman Potocnik published a paper on geosynchronous satellites for communication in 1928.
With all due respect, should we not remember him by naming something after him that itself will be remembered? I mean really, this Gamma Ray Burst is not going to be a topic for many people in even a couple weeks, let alone several years from now. We remember Kennedy via the Kennedy Space Center, Hawking gets Hawking Radiation, Einstein/Galileo has some satellites and the examples are really endless here. Why not name something after him which will carry his namesake more actively throughout the future. Of course this is not the only thing that will bear his name, but out of all the possibilities people want to spend their effort on this one? I'd like to see that enthusiasm directed towards something better than getting a GRB event named after him. Cool? Maybe. Lasting? No.
I don't disagree with this point of view, but the gamma ray burst is actually quite appropriate for the man who wrote, The Star, which received the Hugo for best short story in 1956. It remains one of the most memorable stories by Clarke that I've ever read.
In terms of more lasting recognition for Arthur C. Clarke, he already has asteroid 4923 Clarke, a dinosaur, Serendipaceratops arthurcclarkei, Clarke orbits (an IAU recognized term for geostationary orbit), , a bunch of space stuff has already been named for his Odyssey works, and if we ever build a space elevator, it's likely his name will be connected in some way with that. The man has already been much honored, and deservedly so.
If this GRB is as rare as it appears to be, it will likely serve as a reference magnitude for other GRBs observed in the future (i.e., today's burst was the largest ever - 1.3x the magnitude of the Clarke Event observed in 2008, etc.)
As an aside, I'm surprised no comments (that I've read) follow this line of logic:
Of course Clarke's death didn't cause the burst, but wouldn't it be remarkable if somehow, even if by seeming coincidence, the burst caused his death?
If this GRB is as rare as it appears to be, it will likely serve as a reference magnitude for other GRBs observed in the future (i.e., today's burst was the largest ever - 1.3x the magnitude of the Clarke Event observed in 2008, etc.)
"If" that is true then it would be fine. Really, it is fine either way; my quarrel is with the effort being directed towards this objective when surely there are others far better. Provided what you said ends up being true, then chalk it up as another fitting thing baring his namesake. We can add it to the list others have replied with above me; but it still doesn't change the fact that the effort to remember him could focus its attention on something much more memorable for those of use still around.
There were so many stars you could have used. What was the need to give those people to the fire, so the symbol of their passing might shine above Sri Lanka?
Whoever modded me a troll should immediately lose all geek cred. My post was word-for-word from a Clarke story, except I changed Bethleham to Sri Lanka.
How does that follow? Astronomical bodies get named after famous people or scientists frequently. No one is saying Clarke caused it (after all, it did happen over seven billion years ago), but it's a way of recognizing one of the most influential science/sci-fi writers who has ever lived.
...was the biggest bang since the big one so this burst should be named after her.
OTH if a seven billion year old gamma ray burst could be used to debunk Christian mythology I think then maybe there is a case for naming it after Clarke [wikipedia.org].
Can you back up the pedophile claim? Thought not. As far as I can tell not one shred of evidence for the claim has ever been found. He was still knighted, after a two year delay caused by these claims. That shows pretty clearly that the claims were investigated and found to be false.
Yeah, for all the people that still think it might be true, the fact is that all the Sir Arthur C. Clarke paeophilia issue was brought forward by no less than The Sunday Mirror (or dailiy mirror) which is just a tabloid "news" paper in the UK. They even printed an apology and retraction.
Gamma-ray bursts are given catalogue names based on the date they were discovered. There is no mechanism for naming bursts beyond that. Occasionally a burst is given an informal name. For example, one burst is sometimes called the Superbowl burst because it went off during the Superbowl (which is the name of an annual championship US football game). However, there is nothing official about these names, and the IAU does not recognize them. I like the idea of informally naming GRB 080319B after Sir
I'm waiting for the lunar obelisk (Score:2)
Old news... (Score:3, Funny)
Re: (Score:2, Offtopic)
Re: (Score:2)
No Europa Landings! (Score:5, Funny)
If they find a new cluster of stars (Score:5, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
Maybe abbreviate it to "DC Cluster F" to get it accepted by a naming committee.
So, what do you have against stars? (Score:5, Funny)
The only collection of objects that might deserve the name Cheney might be a scattering of parasite-ridden coyote droppings. Although given that scavenger dung may have better poll ratings . . .
Parent
it won't take much convincing (Score:2)
if you wanted to call it the eliot spitzer event, or the march madness event, you might have some trouble convincing
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
On a serious note, I do hope we can name it after Clarke, he has inspired many (including myself). And this seems as fitting a tribute as any.
Minor correction... (Score:5, Funny)
So long, Mr. Clarke, and thanks for all the fiction...
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Major correction... (Score:2, Informative)
It was Ms. Gallumbits describing Zaphod Beeblebrox [wikipedia.org]
How embarrassing!
Re:Major correction... (Score:4, Funny)
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
In numbers I can understand, please (Score:2, Funny)
What would that be in Teraballmers?
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
It's simple! Get a hand-held radar gun, find Steve Ballmer in a public place and ensure there's an easily-throwable chair nearby. Then point to someone and tell Steve that the guy said the iPod was inferior to the Zune. Viola! All that suffers is your conscience.
Best bang since the big one (Score:3, Funny)
What more fitting tribute to Clarke than to associate his name with the greatest bang since the big one?
But Zaphod Beeblebrox already has a name. :)
Re: (Score:2)
What more fitting tribute to Clarke than to associate his name with the greatest bang since the big one?
But Zaphod Beeblebrox already has a name. :)
I'm not sure... (Score:2)
Overdoing it (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Overdoing it (Score:5, Informative)
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
The Objective is to Remember (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re:The Objective is to Remember (Score:4, Informative)
Parent
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
As an aside, I'm surprised no comments (that I've read) follow this line of logic:
Of course Clarke's death didn't cause the burst, but wouldn't it be remarkable if somehow, even if by seeming coincidence, the burst caused his death?
Re: (Score:2)
If this GRB is as rare as it appears to be, it will likely serve as a reference magnitude for other GRBs observed in the future (i.e., today's burst was the largest ever - 1.3x the magnitude of the Clarke Event observed in 2008, etc.)
"If" that is true then it would be fine. Really, it is fine either way; my quarrel is with the effort being directed towards this objective when surely there are others far better. Provided what you said ends up being true, then chalk it up as another fitting thing baring his namesake. We can add it to the list others have replied with above me; but it still doesn't change the fact that the effort to remember him could focus its attention on something much more memorable for those of use still around.
The Star (Score:4, Funny)
An explosive event in space named after Clarke? Oh, great.... [lucis.net]
A good slashdot poll (Score:2)
The Star (Score:2)
An alternative proposal (Score:5, Insightful)
It's an alien conspiracy (Score:2)
Why God? (Score:4, Funny)
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Re:no, don't care for it (Score:5, Insightful)
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Eccentrica Gallumbits (Score:3, Funny)
...was the biggest bang since the big one so this burst should be named after her.
OTH if a seven billion year old gamma ray burst could be used to debunk Christian mythology I think then maybe there is a case for naming it after Clarke [wikipedia.org].
Re:no, don't care for it (Score:5, Funny)
"Look," whispered a Slashdotter, and Jollyreaper lifted his eyes to heaven. (There is always a last time for everything.)
Overhead, in glorious blazes of gamma radiation, the stars were going out.
Parent
Re:no, don't care for it (Score:5, Funny)
Overhead, in glorious blazes of gamma radiation, the stars were going out.
"Ah, so it is," replied the Anonymous Coward, and crawled back into his cave.
Parent
Re:no, don't care for it (Score:4, Funny)
Parent
Re:Not only that... (Score:4, Informative)
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Do you also believe in Bat Boy?
No need to mod anything in this thread up. (Score:5, Informative)
Parent
Re:No need to mod anything in this thread up. (Score:5, Informative)
Parent
Re: (Score:2, Informative)