Now YOU can LEGITIMATELY name a planet!

Apologies if this has been posted already, I did a search and didn't see it. Considering the amount of threads on exoplanets I thought you'd like this.


From one of my favorite sites, astrobites:
astrobites.org...

On August 14th, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) unveiled a system for giving non-technical names to exoplanets that involves public input, reversing its opinion on the public’s role in naming planets (see this Universe Today article). In a previous statement this spring, the IAU announced that it only endorsed the technical naming scheme that has been common practice in the scientific community, resulting in names such as Kepler-16 b (the “Tatooine” planet with two suns) and GJ 1214 b (a potential water world).

The IAU’s reversal of opinion on public involvement in naming exoplanets seems to stem directly from this criticism. However, the IAU’s colloquial naming scheme comes with a list of rules. For instance, a planet name cannot be the same an existing name for an astronomical object, nor can it be profane or offensive. (See this XKCD comic for some bad ideas.)

One criterion is that the discoverers must approve the proposed planet name. While this seems reasonable, large, modern planet surveys (such as the Kepler Mission) require follow-up observations from many different teams to confirm the existence of a planet. Usually, many scientists study and characterize a planet before the scientific community accepts its planetary status. In these cases, who is the main “discoverer” of the planet who gets to approve the public’s chosen name? Also, this criterion can be at odds with the IAU’s other planet naming rules. For instance, Xavier Dumusque, the principal author on the discovery paper of Alpha Centauri Bb, endorsed Uwingu’s naming competition. However, the IAU’s current naming policy does not allow fundraisers as a means of generating planet names, in direct contradiction with Dumusque’s desire.

reply to post by JadeStar


Cool,and only for 4, 99 a piece. Its bargain for naming a planet after yourself." We're now entering 0bserver1 orbit..." sounds cool.I have some great exotic names on my list. Maybe we also got our planets name from other beings?

This is awesome thanks for bringing this to my attention I can have a Planet of the Ears named in my honour. I know what I'm asking Santa for this year.

Edit - I have emailed my suggestion over to IAU, so now to play the waiting game

King

0bserver1
reply to post by JadeStar

 

Cool,and only for 4, 99 a piece. Its bargain for naming a planet after yourself."

The IAU will not accept names from anyone or any company or organization who charges money to solicit them. Not even donations.

Here are the rules.. Anyone charging to name a planet violates Rule #4 below.

Public naming campaigns are also “sanctioned” given they follow a set of rules:

1. Prior to any public naming initiative, often a vote (hereafter “the process”), the IAU should be contacted from the start by Letter of Intent sent to the IAU General Secretary;

2. The process should be submitted in the form of a proposal to the IAU by an organization. Scientists or science communicators may be involved in the process;

3. The organization should list its legal or official representatives and its goals, and explain the reasons for initiating the process for naming a particular object or set of objects;

4. The process cannot request nor make reference to any revenues, for whatever purpose;

5. The process must guarantee a wide international participation;

6. The public names proposed (whether by individuals or in a naming campaign)should follow the naming rules and restrictions adopted for Minor Bodies of the Solar System, by the IAU and by the Minor Planet Center.


Among other rules are that proposed names should be 16 characters or less in length, pronounceable in as many languages as possible, non-offensive in any language or culture, and that names of individuals, places or events principally known for political or military activities are unsuitable.
Also, the names must have the formal agreement of the discoverers.


Read more: www.universetoday.com...

reply to post by JadeStar


Dude!

No, not the OP, that's what a planets name should be.

Dude!

That one is for the OP. Nice thread. By the time they're done planets should be named for every character and actor in "Star Trek", authors Heinlein, Bradbury, Bova, and Burroughs (among many), and for Anne Hathaway. To name just a few.

-- Aleister

No, not me. A planet!

Aleister
reply to post by JadeStar

 

Dude!

No, not the OP, that's what a planets name should be.

Dude!

That one is for the OP. Nice thread. By the time they're done planets should be named for every character and actor in "Star Trek", authors Heinlein, Bradbury, Bova, and Burroughs (among many), and for Anne Hathaway. To name just a few.

-- Aleister

No, not me. A planet!

You left out Hedy Lamarr.

Actually... Eternia Prime is pretty cool...

Then we hop to Mass Effect names...

reply to post by JadeStar


how about renaming a planet?

planet earth sounds urrgghly...

jk

anyway nice post, brother

peace.

Here's the reply I got to my email





King

Let's keep it like we have it on our solar system but with a slight difference.

So what about Myanûs?

You know Trekkies worldwide have already, umpteen times, suggested Andoria, Vulcan, Risa, Romulus & Remus, Breen, Q'onos, Forcas, Khitomer, Rura Penthe, Nimbus, Cardassia, Bajor, Lissepia, Ferenginar, Luria, Trill, Benzar, Bolarus, Betazed, Iconia, Nausicaa, Tarkalea, Tellar and endless others. I can get behind naming a couple of cold icebox planets Andoria & Rura Penthe

dodol
reply to post by JadeStar

 

how about renaming a planet?

planet earth sounds urrgghly...

jk

anyway

nice post, brother

sister.

And yes, we could always use the greek name, Terra.

Nyiah
You know Trekkies worldwide have already, umpteen times, suggested Andoria, Vulcan, Risa, Romulus & Remus, Breen, Q'onos, Forcas, Khitomer, Rura Penthe, Nimbus, Cardassia, Bajor, Lissepia, Ferenginar, Luria, Trill, Benzar, Bolarus, Betazed, Iconia, Nausicaa, Tarkalea, Tellar and endless others. I can get behind naming a couple of cold icebox planets Andoria & Rura Penthe

Add in the Star Wars universe names and Babylon 5 and there will be plenty of good names for years to come

Let's not forget before this decision one of the Kuiper Belt dwarf planets was named Xena (yes! after the warrior princess) before it was deemed "too modern" by the IAU.

It's now called Eris
History of the dwarf planet Eris

According to science writer Govert Schilling, Brown initially wanted to call the object "Lila", after a concept in Hindu mythology that described the cosmos as the outcome of a game played by Brahma. The name was very similar to "Lilah", the name of Brown's newborn daughter.

Brown was mindful of not making his name public before it had been officially accepted. He had done so with Sedna a year previously, and had been heavily criticised. However, he listed the address of his personal web page announcing the discovery as /~mbrown/planetlila and in the chaos following the controversy over the discovery of Haumea, forgot to change it. Rather than needlessly anger more of his fellow astronomers, he simply said that the webpage had been named for his daughter and dropped "Lila" from consideration.

Brown had also speculated that Persephone, the wife of the god Pluto, would be a good name for the object.

The name had been used several times in science fiction,and was popular with the public, having handily won a poll conducted by New Scientist magazine ("Xena", despite only being a nickname, came fourth).

However, this was not possible once the object was classified as a dwarf planet, because there is already an asteroid with that name, 399 Persephone.

Because IAU regulations require a name from creation mythology for objects with orbital stability beyond Neptune's orbit, the team had also been considering such possibilities.

With the dispute resolved, the discovery team proposed Eris on September 6, 2006. On September 13, 2006 this name was accepted as the official name by the IAU.[39][40] Brown decided that, because the object had been considered a planet for so long, it deserved a name from Greek or Roman mythology, like the other planets. However, the asteroids had taken the vast majority of Graeco-Roman names. Eris, whom Brown described as his favourite goddess, had fortunately escaped inclusion. The name in part reflects the discord in the astronomical community caused by the debate over the object's (and Pluto's) nature.

One thought is that with over 1,000 confirmed exoplanets and another 3,600+ Kepler candidates (90% of which will be confirmed) Greek and Roman mythology will quickly be exhausted of all names. It won't be long until other mythologies, Indian, Celtic, Chinese, West African, Native American, Polynesian, etc are also tapped dry so they will have to consider modern and sci-fi names for exoplanets, so long as the name is in good taste and not like the bad names in the cartoon above I can see them adopting some.

And sorry I don't think we'll see a planet named Ear or a planet named after any body part because that would set up a slippery slope to distasteful names as I am sure you can imagine.

JadeStar

And sorry I don't think we'll see a planet named Ear or a planet named after any body part because that would set up a slippery slope to distastefull names as I am sure you can imagine.

With all due respect I think if we can talk about Uranus we can talk about Myanûs.



Man that sounds weird

Two names we likely won't see being approved: Prometheus and Pandora. Both are moons of Saturn and the IAU say they don't want duplicate names.

reply to post by JadeStar


I shall name one for our Helghan Empire! Hail Admiral Orlock!

JadeStar


And sorry I don't think we'll see a planet named Ear or a planet named after any body part because that would set up a slippery slope to distasteful names as I am sure you can imagine.

edit on 9-12-2013 by JadeStar because: (no reason given)

Ear is a tad different to penis or vagina. I don't really get your point here

kingears

JadeStar


And sorry I don't think we'll see a planet named Ear or a planet named after any body part because that would set up a slippery slope to distasteful names as I am sure you can imagine.

edit on 9-12-2013 by JadeStar because: (no reason given)

Ear is a tad different to penis or vagina. I don't really get your point here

Armpit
Inner Thigh
Lower Abdominal

They just aren't planet names nor should they ever be. Sorry but Ear is just not a good name for a planet anymore than Eye, Nose, Mouth, Throat, Tailbone, etc.

If the IAU approved Ear well then they'd have a hard time not approving the other ones I mentioned above.

reply to post by JadeStar


I''m going to be picky now. In my email shown above I say Ears not Ear. Ears is my nickname. Yes it references a body part but its my nickname, hence my user name King Ears. But if thats not allowed my 2nd choice would be Omicron Persei 8


King

reply to post by kingears


Lol I agree my nickname is dumbASS