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High School Sophomores Discover Asteroid

Posted by kdawson on from the october-sky dept.

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.

32 of 126 comments (clear)

  1. Uhoh by DrXym · · Score: 5, Funny

    Let's hope its not called Wolf-Biederman

    1. Re:Uhoh by Kamineko · · Score: 2, Funny

      Curse your fast typing! :D

    2. Re:Uhoh by Goffee71 · · Score: 4, Funny

      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.

      --
      If he's the Walrus then can I be a penguin please?
    3. Re:Uhoh by gsslay · · Score: 5, Funny

      Nope.

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

    4. Re:Uhoh by BakaHoushi · · Score: 4, Funny

      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...

    5. Re:Uhoh by Gospodin · · Score: 4, Informative

      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, when these high-schoolers name the asteroid, the IAU gets to vet the name. If it's "Johnsmithisajerk", they'll probably say no.

      --
      ...following the principles of Heisenburger's Uncertain Cat...
    6. Re:Uhoh by jank1887 · · Score: 2, Informative

      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.

    7. Re:Uhoh by boris111 · · Score: 3, Funny

      You mean that star my ex bought me meant nothing!

    8. Re:Uhoh by Korin43 · · Score: 2, Funny

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

    9. Re:Uhoh by DiscipleN2k · · Score: 3, Funny

      Worked great for my first anniversary. Seriously, how may great gifts can you get for the "paper" anniversary? For like $25, I was hero! Our 5th anniversary was even easier. I didn't even have to buy anything for "wood" ;)

  2. Why wait 4 years? by Loibisch · · Score: 5, Insightful

    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...

    1. Re:Why wait 4 years? by RuBLed · · Score: 4, Insightful

      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)

    2. Re:Why wait 4 years? by rpillala · · Score: 5, Funny

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

      --
      When the axe came to the forest, the trees said, "Look out - the handle was once one of us."
  3. too bad... by Elminst · · Score: 4, Funny

    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.

    --
    No unauthorized use. Trespassers will be shot. Survivors will be shot again.
  4. Re:How does that work, exactly? by yotto · · Score: 2, Informative

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

    --
    Pulp Audio Weekly - Geek News and Reviews
  5. Obviously by Smordnys+s'regrepsA · · Score: 5, Funny

    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.

    --
    Just -1, Troll talking to another.
    1. Re:Obviously by ozmanjusri · · Score: 2, Funny
      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!

      --
      "I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."
    2. Re:Obviously by Dachannien · · Score: 4, Funny

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

    3. Re:Obviously by KudyardRipling · · Score: 2, Informative

      Names of which to be wary:

      * S.C.Johnson, Horlick's, Case or other local manufacturer
      * Arthur's Diner (fictional)
      * names of models of AMC automobiles (Rambler, American, Classic, Ambassador, Matador, Javelin, Hornet, Gremlin, etc.) Oh ,wait, that's KENOSHA up the coast.
      * Anything Danish.
      * Max Hardcore

      --
      Submission as evidence constitutes plaintiff and/or prosecutorial misconduct.
    4. Re:Obviously by ibwolf · · Score: 3, Funny

      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!
    5. Re:Obviously by Scroatzilla · · Score: 2, Funny

      In four years they will have matured enough to inject subtlety: Asteroid 3MTA3.

  6. This is more common than you'd think by ThreeGigs · · Score: 5, Informative

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

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

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

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

    1. Re:This is more common than you'd think by CarAnalogy · · Score: 5, Funny

      404 "Object not found!"

      Does that mean he didn't find any yet?

    2. Re:This is more common than you'd think by Jugalator · · Score: 2, Informative

      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..? :-)

      --
      Beware: In C++, your friends can see your privates!
    3. Re:This is more common than you'd think by ThreeGigs · · Score: 2, Funny

      Actually, seeing +5 even though I screwed up the slashcode format has bolstered my faith in the moderation system, as people moderating are obviously intelligent enough to realize my mistake, and corrected for it. Smart people are moderating, and that's good. Now I know why I rarely get mod points :-)

  7. These gaming articles are boring by $RANDOMLUSER · · Score: 5, Funny

    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?

    --
    No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism. - Winston Churchill
  8. I doubt THEY really discovered it by Martian_Kyo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    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)
  9. So let me get this straight by CFD339 · · Score: 4, Funny

    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.

    --
    The problem with quotes on the internet, is that nobody bothers to check their veracity. -- Abraham Lincoln
  10. simpsons by comm2k · · Score: 2, Funny

    Skinner:"Noooooooooooooooooo."

  11. Now we know by maroberts · · Score: 2, Funny

    Sophomores use their telescopes for watching asteriods.
    I use my telescope for watching sophomores.....
    (/perv)

    --

    Donte Alistair Anderson Roberts - hi son!
    Karma: Chameleon

  12. Re:How does that work, exactly? by Sperbels · · Score: 2, Informative

    This will get you started. http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/iau/info/Astrometry.html#name

  13. College in Michigan? by ejdmoo · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Try Calvin College...yeesh. Just because Taco went to Hope (bitter rivals)...grumble grumble...

    Pictures of the telescope.