New Contest: Name the Moons of Pluto!

Posted By Emily Lakdawalla

2013/02/11 11:41 CST

Topics: events and announcements, fun, Contests, trans-neptunian objects, Pluto, dwarf planets beyond Neptune

Mark Showalter, representing the team of astronomers that discovered Pluto's fourth and fifth moons, is inviting the public to weigh in on what their formal names should be in a contest called "Pluto Rocks!" You have until February 25 to vote on your favorites. They also invite people to write in alternative suggestions. It doesn't look as though the final name selection will simply be a popularity contest; the website says that "We will take your votes and suggestions into consideration when we propose the names for P4 and P5 to the international astronomical community." Right now, the candidate names are: Acheron; Alecto; Cerberus; Erebus; Eurydice; Hercules; Hypnos; Lethe; Obol; Orpheus; Persephone; and Styx. These new names will be joining a system that already contains Pluto, Charon, Nix, and Hydra.

There's a Google+ Hangout scheduled for 11:00 PST / 19:00 UTC today where you can learn more!

NASA, ESA, M. Showalter (SETI Institute) and L. Frattare (STScI)

A fifth moon for Pluto

An image taken on July 7, 2012 by the Wide Field Camera 3 on the Hubble Space Telescope shows the recently discovered fifth moon of Pluto.

Comments:

Jenn Dunne: 02/11/2013 01:25 CST

Leonidas and gorgo Spartan king and queen

Juan Astudillo: 02/11/2013 03:04 CST

Astudillo :)

John O'Neal: 02/11/2013 05:18 CST

I really enjoyed the program from the Seti Institute. I'm excited about letting the public help name the moons. I've been following the New Horizons mission on NASA's web site for a couple of years. I'm hoping we can get more public interest in astronomy and the space program. To that end, I will be voting for Mickey and Minnie as names for the moons.

Socalsue: 02/11/2013 08:37 CST

How about Bilbo and Frodo?

PhysicsNH: 02/12/2013 07:34 CST

Nidavellir and Niflheim

Fairfield4: 02/12/2013 07:50 CST

Atuk and Cody

jmsul2: 02/12/2013 10:05 CST

kirk and spock

max: 02/12/2013 11:31 CST

Suggestions: Erinyes Minos Manes/Lares(good) or Larvae(Lemures) bad

Andrew R Brown: 02/12/2013 01:37 CST

I say they should be: P4: Cerberus. Three headed dog at the gate of Hades. P5: Chione. Greek Goddess of the Snow.