Still hope for Hercules

[threemonkeys]

It appears that there is not going to be a (dwarf) planet called Xena after all. Instead the object formerly known as 2003 UB313 will officially be known as Eris - appropriately the Greek goddess of discord. Its moon is now designated Dysnomia, the daughter of Eris known as the spirit of lawlessness.

I rather liked the whimsy of calling it Xena but I also see that it could be a dodgy precedent. Before we knew it we would have planets named after Idol contestants.

Comments

[stephen-dedman.livejournal.com]

Before we knew it we would have planets named after Idol contestants.

Planets, never. Meteoroids, maybe: a brief flash before they come crashing to Earth (or burn up completely before reaching it), seems a fitting memorial to reality TV contestants.

Hercules already has a planetoid, btw: a 5km diameter Near-Earth Object, 5143 Heracles. There's also the 225km diameter 532 Herculina, presumably named after his transvestite phase.

[mundens.livejournal.com]

For some reason I thought this was appropriate here :

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

;-) A meteor burning up seems about right. One came down near Christchurch the other day and got about the same amount of press coverage as an Idol win.

Hercules already has a planetoid

Thanks, I did wonder when I was composing the title but was too lazy to look it up.