For his contributions to astronomy, the International Astronomical Union has named an asteroid after Prof. Jayant Murthy. Here’s a quiz on other asteroid names

QUESTION 1

In the inner region of the asteroid belt lies an asteroid about 10 km wide, discovered by astronomer Martin Watt in 1982. Name the British philologist and writer for whom Watt named the asteroid. Three of this person’s books were adapted as films released in 2001, 2002, and 2003.

QUESTION 2

Astronomers discovered two asteroids in 1989 and 1996 and named them right then. In September 2011, they made their closest approaches to the earth so far — a wonderful coincidence because the people they’d been named for were also the stars of a hit romcom released in 1999. Name the asteroids.

QUESTION 3

This asteroid was discovered in 2004 and subsequently given the name of an antagonist from the TV show Star Gate SG-1. Name the asteroid.

QUESTION 4

A Japanese astronomer discovered this asteroid in 1991 and named it after a monster that appears in a famous nonsensical poem. The author of this poem later said he named the monster after AngloSaxon words for “the result of much excited and voluble discussion”. Name the asteroid.

QUESTION 5

This asteroid is named for a poem and a warrior of Old English literature. It belongs to a group that also includes the asteroid Bennu, which has a 0.13% chance of smashing into the earth between 2178 and 2290. Name the asteroid.

1. This Tarantino film paid homage to the subgenre of blaxploitation films. Jackie Brown

2. The dance sequence of John Travolta in Pulp Fiction was credited by Tarantino this filmmaker.

3. This film won Tarantino his second Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Django Unchained

4. The name of the 1987 amateur comedy film directed by Tarantino. Some of the film’s dialogues were used in this film as well. My Best Friend’s Birthday; True Romance

HINDU ARCHIVES Visual question: Name this Indian astronomer. He remains the only Indian with an asteroid and a comet named for him.