Hey Buffy was a good show! A great one even.

While I like the mockery of “Buffy” (a show I enjoyed but thought was overrated), you’re wrong on two counts:

1.) There was already an object in space that was named after a “good show”

2.) If another planet, chunk of ice, or solar system was nicknamed “Brian” or “Stewie”, then that would just be an example of something getting their name from a crappy TV show .

But I guess it doesn’t really matter what these things are nicknamed, since they’ll probably end up getting different names anyway.

By the way, I like the idea of naming objects after porn stars. Get a lot more support from the “Joe Sixpacks” of the world if we announce we are sending a “probe” to Jenna Jameson and will send back pictures. They will start writing checks.

Granted, most either have too much speed (hyperbolic trajectories) or too little (they fall into the sun); and of the ones that achieve stable orbits, most are on parabolic trajectories. But surely we’d expect a few of them to achieve near-circular orbits that are significantly tipped from the eccliptic.

[Commentator Ektich, in an earlier reply, makes a really good point.]

Where is the big mystery — what am I missing here?

Maybe instead of questioning our basic assumptions we should act on the obvious probable solution (that “Buffy” is not from around here” and get a probe out there to analyze the materials she’s made of!

“Into this life
of independence came three young orphans, the 6-year old
twins Buffy and Jody and 15-year-old Cissy.

Now could an object named “Jody” be in a close orbit with “Buffy”?

It’s all “Mr. French” to me…. :*)

I still haven’t heard back from NASA about my proposal for naming new bodies found in the outer solar system.

All of the flak that NASA got because of the naked man and woman on the pioneer probe a few years ago may be a reason my letter may have found its way into a cylindrical file cabinet (ie: Trash Can).

As a male college student that would pay taxes if I had a job, I think that it would be a great idea to name large chunks of ice in the outer solar system after people like Jenna Jameson, Chasey Lain, Teagan Presley, or Briana Banks.

All you prudes hear me out. I think that this idea is perfectly reasonable, and I seriously believe that it has a lot of potential.

Everyone knows that Sex Sells. The Adult industry is HUGE. Its no secret that space activities could use more cash. Get some endorsements from a few pretty faces, name a new rock after an adult actress every now and then and even the Hoover Dam won’t be able to hold back the cash flow.

Who wouldn’t pay to see some hot blonde give a little speech in front of the shuttle, or in front of a mockup of the Mars Rovers, or give a presentation on the latest on the latest images from the Hubble? No one cares about old men in suits.

I’m just saying what most men are currently thinking.

Scientists love to have everyone else proven wrong, especially when it means they are right.

The Bad Astronomer Said:
>I loved the original Buffy movie. I watched several episodes of the TV show, and didn’t care for it. I did see some episodes of Angel, and it made me laugh, but I think it was just a little bit too much on the cheesy side.

That’s ironic, given that most people* think the movie was too cheesy and a bit lame, but think the TV show is the wittiest and best written program ever made**.

*Okay, most people who watch sci fi, as opposed to people who think both are crappy because they’re not a “reality” show or soap opera or sporting event.

**I’ll collect my “Joss Whedon is God” points now, thank you.

Of course, since the universe seems to be “thumbing its nose” at us humans and our pitifully small understanding of things, maybe we should name something “Bender.”

As for this ice chunk, it’s clear that the U.S. Government put it there using its captured alien space craft. (which we have been backwards engineering for the last 60 years, succesfully, dispite our inability to get to the moon.)

I may be supportive of your scientific endeavours, but I’m highly skeptical of your taste in television.

And yes, I knew I’d get protests when I wrote that. My old boss worships Buffy. I don’t think he reads my blog though.

Anyway, love your column!

Jess