IF YOUR name is D’Arcy, don’t visit asteroid 9491 Thooft.
A few weeks ago, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) named a pair of
asteroids in honour of two Dutch Nobel laureates, Gerard `t Hooft and Martin
Veltman. The asteroids, which orbit between Mars and Jupiter, are now called
9491 Thooft and 9492 Veltman.
Now `t Hooft has declared a constitution for his minor planet. Among other
articles, it states that 9491 Thooft has a territorial zone of 137 kilometres in
all directions. Aliens embarking on the asteroid must be in possession of a
visitor visa if they stay for a…
