Shatner helps Pluto get a moon named Vulcan

THE PLANETOID PLUTO might be about to become neighbours with a moon called Vulcan, thanks to an online intervention from William Shatner.

Shatner, you will know, played Captain James T. Kirk in the early and glory days of Star Trek. His was a commanding leadership, a strong shadow to stand in.

Today, years later he leads thousands of fans on Twitter and from that 140 character Captain's log Shatner asked them all to vote for Vulcan on the Pluto moon-naming beauty pageant scene.

174,062 votes and Vulcan came out on top of the voting for the naming of Pluto's moons. Thank you to all who voted! MBB

— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) February 25, 2013

The poll was run by SETI, and was called Pluto Rocks. Shatner got involved a short while ago when he requested that the name be included in the options, and, well, the vote was swung in the direction of his dear old friend Mr Spock.

According to SETI almost half a million people voted and while Cerberus came second with 99,432 votes, Vulcan triumphed with 174,062.

"Vulcan" is the logical choice. LLAP

— Leonard Nimoy (@TheRealNimoy) February 14, 2013

SETI did not pitch the name as a Star Trek tribute and, while it was nominated by Shatner, it had Vulcan listed among a dozen or so hellish names, including the aforementioned two headed dog, Cerberus, Styx, after the river, and Tantalus, the poor blighter for whom goodness is always just out of reach.

A vote for Vulcan, said SETI, was a vote for the "Roman God of fire and smoke, son of Jupiter/Zeus, nephew of Pluto/Hades".

But Sci-Fi fans knew different. A vote for Vulcan was a vote for Star Trek.

Live long and prosper. µ