Why the name-calling NASA ?
is the asteroid leaning the right ??
Maybe it will bow towards mecca?
Not exactly unprecedented or even all that unusual to be honest. In fact, a comet found during WISE’s prime mission 4 years ago had a similar retrograde inclination, C/2010 L5 (WISE). Many comets have had retrograde orbits like this. Notably, C/1877 C1 (Borrelly) had a very similar orbit, but had a much closer approach to the sun that NEOWISE will.
The truth is that they’re doing everything they can to publicize every “first” new discovery that NEOWISE makes and just publicize the hell out of it for every dime it’s worth. They initially failed to secure funding for NEOWISE for the long term past the initial primary mission. They have to generate interest and keep NEOWISE in the spotlight to try to protect it from the chopping block in the future. Unfortunately this means sensationalizing everything to the maximum extent they can, complete with “funny names” for things they find even if it’s not actually anything novel.
:’D