ASTEROID RENAMED IN HONOR OF JIM CORNELL

If you happen to notice Jim Cornell looking a bit spacey, or at least somewhat dizzy, there's good reason. Cornell is now officially in orbit.

Soon after retiring last fall, after 37 years as majordomo of publications, public relations, and much more at the Harvard/Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cornell was awarded the ultimate honor by his astronomical colleagues, who renamed asteroid 12224 in his honor. Hereafter, the heavenly body will be known as 12224JamesCornell.

This is a singular honor, bestowed by a group of professionals who take a very broad view of the universe-although only in the dark. Cornell is one of the few journalists so honored, although the late Walter Sullivan of the New York Times outdid everyone by having a whole mountain range named for himself in Antarctica.

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(Contributed by Robert Cooke)