A planet, named after Chess Grand Master Viswanathan Anand. The former World Chess Champion joined this unique club when a minor planet (4538), located roughly between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, was named after him.
Points to Remember:
- The new minor planet has been named as 4538 Vishyanand.
- The planet was discovered by Kenzo Suzuki of Toyota, Japan, on October 10, 1988.
- Other sportperson who have minor planets named after them:
- Roger Federer
- Jesse Owens
- Arsene Wenger
- Donald Bradma
Usually, the practice of naming a minor planet is left to its discoverer. However, when the objects remain nameless for over ten years, the International Astronomical Union(IAU) has the final say in deciding what to name the planet. In this case, the minor planet was first discovered by Kenzo Suzuki in Japan in 1988 and remained nameless for over ten years before it was picked up by Rudenko.
“The idea of naming a minor planet for Anand was entirely my own, after careful consideration I selected him because in addition to being a great chess player he is also a gentlemen and astronomy enthusiast” Rudenko Said.