Men are from Mars, Vishy Anand is from an asteroid belt - Ahmedabad Mirror

Indian chess grandmaster Viswanathan Anand, who now has a minor planet named after him, says he hasn't yet tracked the heavenly object down, but knows where it is located. The former world champion told Mirror in an interview that soon after he discovered a spec in the sky had received his name (4538 Vishyanand), he wrote to the chess buff (and astronomer) who'd made the suggestion to the Minor Planet Centre, thanking him for the honour. Excerpts from the conversation...

So youare on a different planet.

Yes, very much (laughs). It is a surprise. When I found out, my first reaction was that it was an April Fools' Day joke. It turned out to be true. It was quite nice.

4538 Vishyanand sounds more like an Elo rating to measure skill levels at chess than a planet's name.

Yes, but it is a huge number in Elo terms. This kind of rating is out of anyone's reach. Right now, the strongest computer program can only cross the 3100 mark. So, 4538 must be beyond any grandmaster's grasp.

How does it feel, though?

Very flattering. Next time I look at space, it will make me feel very special. Aruna [his wife] says I am always lost a bit in conversation. Now she'll know where I am.

What do you know about the planet that has been named after you?

It is an asteroid. It is a spec found between Mars and Jupiter. It was discovered in 1988. There are some strict rules in naming the planets. The person who has discovered it has the right to name it within ten years. It did not happen and it went to the Minor Planet Centre and someone (Michael Rudenko) suggested my name. And it was approved. To me, it is apleasant surprise.

Have you managed to track your planetdown?

It will be nice to know my location but I know it is not easy. It is way too small for that. You need very high-powered equipment. Even with that, there is no guarantee you will be able to spot the planet. There can be pictures taken but that is not easy.

Is it true that you were always interested in astronomy?

I knew it in bits and pieces. I knew objects between Mars and Jupiter are called asteroids. There are various categories and names. Recently Pluto's classification was changed. The subject has always fascinated me. I get glued to the solar system and minor objects in the orbit. It is a fascinating story. Now my objective will be to track myself in orbit.

What is it that excites you about astronomy?

It is a very interesting subject. A lot of exploration is going on in the solar system. People are trying to find out the origin of the solar system. Some objects are so small that they don't have geology, so they are lifeless planets. But they are discovering interesting things. It is like exploring the area beneath an ocean.

Aplanet being named after a person is a first of its kind, isn't it?

I don't know about that. I have heard Karpov (Anatoly) and (Alexander) Alekhine had planets named after them too. It is a very nice gesture by this man Michael Rudenko. I have just sent him a mail thanking him for taking my name. It has made my day. It is nice of them to have thought of me. I have got a lot of congratulatory calls.

What plans on the chess front?

Well, I am going to be playing in Azerbaijan soon. I will be playing in the Candidates (to earn the right to challenge world champion Magnus Carlsen) next year for sure.

via Science - Google News http://ift.tt/1IcZINN

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