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Asteroid Named After Douglas Adams

tc writes "MSNBC is reporting that an asteroid has been named after Douglas Adams of Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy fame. Fittingly, the asteroid carried the provisional designation 2001 DA42, thus commemorating the year of his untimely death, containing his initials, and incorporating the famous answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything. This seems like a fitting tribute to me."

32 of 314 comments (clear)

  1. What's in a name? by mccalli · · Score: 4, Funny
    Fittingly, the asteroid carried the provisional designation 2001 DA42, thus commemorating the year of his untimely death, containing his initials, and incorporating the famous answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything.

    Why not call it a rock?

    Cheers,
    Ian

  2. First thing to say when it hurdles towards Earth: by hyu · · Score: 5, Funny

    Don't Panic!

  3. This Just In by boingyzain · · Score: 2, Funny

    As hinted by the destination, asteroid Douglasadams is actually on its way to meet the mice.

    1. Re:This Just In by darth_pepsi · · Score: 2, Funny

      Nah you got it all wrong. It's a dolphin mothership.

      If you look closely the license plate says "sltfatf" (so long thanks for all the fish)

  4. Re:Perhaps a more fitting tribute? by sowdog81 · · Score: 3, Funny

    A museum and a monument can only be appreciated by the people on earth. A dead rock floating through space can be appreciated by inhabitants of alien planets in the vicinity of Betelgeuse.

  5. Tribute to who? by Feztaa · · Score: 5, Funny

    This seems like a fitting tribute to me.

    This was a tribute to you?

  6. Now, it would have been more fitting... by AthenianGadfly · · Score: 2, Funny

    It would have been much more fitting if they had decided to name the 10th "planet" (debatable) Rupert instead of Sedna.

    1. Re:Now, it would have been more fitting... by RatRagout · · Score: 2, Funny

      Or putting up restaurants calles "Restaurant at the end of the university" on major universities...uhm...maybe not...

  7. They are just begging for it by JumperCable · · Score: 5, Funny

    They are just begging for that asteroid to change course & destroy earth.

    Don't toy with fate.

    1. Re:They are just begging for it by lxs · · Score: 5, Funny

      It won't do that. I've read somewhere that it's mostly harmless.

  8. Re:What else to say ? by Serious+Simon · · Score: 4, Funny

    He sure was a hoopy frood.

  9. Re:Fitting tribute? by Stripsurge · · Score: 2, Funny

    Well just think what happens if one day the asteroid named after you decides to pay Earth an intimate visit.
    Everybody runs to the internet to find the source of the name for what will soon be their demise. "Oh. kaedemichi255. A guy that posted on /. that specifically said he didn't want an asteroid named after him. How ironic."
    Wouldn't you love to the talk of the whole world...even if for a little while?

  10. Mostly harmless by matrem · · Score: 2, Funny

    From TFA:

    It's a relatively unremarkable space rock...

  11. Re:Perhaps a more fitting tribute? by KDan · · Score: 5, Funny

    It would be fitting, if the asteroid turns out to be heading straight towards us and this threat is used to convince all the phone cleaners, insurance salesmen and other 1st ship people to get on a spaceship to another solar system :-D

    Daniel

    --
    Carpe Diem
  12. Who wants to calculate the probability... by PhotoBoy · · Score: 2, Funny

    ... of an asteroid having 2001 DA42 as its name then becoming the tribute rock to Douglas Adams himself?

    If the asteroid hits Earth will it think "Oh no, not again"?

  13. Re:First thing to say when it hurdles towards Eart by tod_miller · · Score: 3, Funny

    ``Six pints of bitter, and quickly please, the world's about to end.''

    --
    #hostfile 0.0.0.0 primidi.com 0.0.0.0 www.primidi.com 0.0.0.0 radio.weblogs.com
  14. Re:Enlighten me please.. by Stephen+Samuel · · Score: 4, Funny
    Read the book if you dont understand it,

    Not that reading the book is going to help you understand much of anything (much less certain ultimate answers), but it's certainly worth the read.

    --
    Free Software: Like love, it grows best when given away.
  15. Don't Panic by Baramin · · Score: 2, Funny

    I take it this asteroid is "mostly harmless" ?

    --
    There's no place like 127.0.0.1
    MyBlog
  16. A rock eh? Let me guess... by El_Muerte_TDS · · Score: 5, Funny

    The rock hangs in the sky in much the same way that bricks don't?

  17. "Fitting" by xmpcray · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...this seems like a fitting tribute to me

    Fitting would be if that astreoid collides with earth to clear way for an intergalactic hyperway system...;)

    --

    --
    I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that I don't know the answer.
    1. Re:"Fitting" by flumps · · Score: 2, Funny

      .. or for it to actually be, against all probability, a sperm whale called into existance several light years from earth wondering why its there..

      --
      "So there he is, risen from the dead. Like that fella, E. T." - Father Ted Crilly
  18. This seems like a fitting tribute to me. by deft · · Score: 3, Funny

    Adam?

    --

    There's nothing Intelligent about Intelligent Design.
  19. Re:timing by ThePilgrim · · Score: 4, Funny

    I gues the reasion why it was not done while he was alive is because we missed the deadline.

    --
    Wouldn't it be nice if schools got all the money they wanted and the army had to hold jumble sales for guns
  20. Of course by JustOK · · Score: 5, Funny

    Of course the asteroid was named after Douglas Adams. He was named years ago, shortly after his birth, I guess.

    --
    rewriting history since 2109
  21. Re:Perhaps a more fitting tribute? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Naw, we organize a mission to have "Don't Panic!" etched into the face of the asteroid in deep relief.

    And sometime, somewhere, if the improbability field is still operational (probably) DA42 will be hurtling through space, threatening the complete destruction of some inhabited planet in the deepest reaches of space.

    And somehow, someway, even though the inhabitants of the planet have never heard of the Hitchhiker's Guide, much less earth; one of the inhabitants will scream out: "Fucking Vogons!" and SETI will recieve a signal.

  22. Re:Perhaps a more fitting tribute? by david.given · · Score: 2, Funny
    Like a 13 mile high statue of him throwing a plastic cup?

    Unfortunately, given the current state of our Art, there's no way we could keep the cup up.

    I mean, come on. We have reality TV. Forget the shoe-shop event horizon, we're really screwed...

  23. Re:Perhaps a more fitting tribute? by rbp · · Score: 2, Funny

    I think it's very fitting.

    It would be much more fitting, though, if the asteroid eventually collided with Earth, destroying it :)

  24. And at the naming ceremony... by emtboy9 · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...hundreds were injured as a small group of Mr. Adams' most maniacal supporters assaulted the proceedings by reading from "The Collected Works of Vogon Poetry", but those ruffians were quickly subdued by an improbable number of monkeys who wanted their copies of Hamlet to be read.

    --
    "Our funds have never taken part in toxic or death spiral convertible financings of any sort" -BayStar's managing partne
  25. Re:First thing to say when it hurdles towards Eart by IdleTime · · Score: 3, Funny

    Where's my towel???

    --
    If you mod me down, I *will* introduce you to my sister!
  26. !2u by DrewCapu · · Score: 2, Funny
    This seems like a fitting tribute to me.
    It's not a fitting tribute to you, it's a fitting tribute to Douglas Adams, you insensitive clod! :)
  27. Re:What else to say ? by ArghBlarg · · Score: 2, Funny

    Highly actionable of you to dialog with him on that.

    --
    ERROR 144 - REBOOT ?
  28. Re:What else to say ? by Griim · · Score: 2, Funny

    That man really knew where his towel was at.