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(4179) Toutatis

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Dictionary of Minor Planet Names

1989 AC. Discovered 1989 Jan. 4 by C. Pollas at Caussols.

Named after the Gaulish god, protector of the tribe. This totemic deity is well known because of the cartoon series Les aventures d’Asterix by Uderzo and Goscinny. This tells the stories of two almost fearless heroes living in the late village under siege in Roman-occupied Gaul in 50 B.C., and whose only fear is that the sky may fall onto their heads one day. Since this object is the Apollo object with the smallest inclination known, it is a good candidate to fall on our heads one of these days... But as the chief of the village says: “C’est pas demain la veille...” (M 16444)

Citation written by the discoverer and A. Maury and endorsed by J. D. Mulholland, who with Maury obtained the discovery plates.

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© 2003 Springer-Verlag

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(2003). (4179) Toutatis. In: Dictionary of Minor Planet Names. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_4150

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_4150

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-00238-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-29925-7

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