Ferdinand Vanek in Space
April 11, 2012
A team of scientists from the Klet Observatory near České Budějovice discovered a new planet in October 2004. Their original intention to name it after Václav Havel was thwarted as the rules of the International Astronomical Union preclude naming planets after politicians earlier than 100 years after their death. The experts from the observatory therefore decided to name the asteroid after the most popular character from Havel’s play “Audience,” Ferdinand Vaňek.