Should we Makemake anything about the name?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the naming conventions for newly discovered celestial bodies, particularly focusing on the use of mythological names from various cultures, such as Makemake and Sedna. Participants explore the implications of these naming choices, the historical context of naming in astronomy, and the potential challenges of naming an increasing number of objects in the Kuiper belt.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants question the shift from naming celestial bodies after Greek gods to including names from other mythologies, suggesting it may reflect a broader cultural inclusivity.
  • Others propose that the number of celestial bodies in the Kuiper belt may exceed the names available from any single mythology, raising concerns about future naming conventions.
  • One participant notes that the tradition of naming solar system objects after Greek deities has been broken, citing examples like the moons of Uranus, which are named after Shakespearean characters.
  • There is a light-hearted exchange about the challenges of memorizing names and the evolution of educational practices regarding memorization and mathematics.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the appropriateness and implications of using names from various mythologies. While some support the idea of inclusivity, others highlight the historical context and potential confusion that may arise from an expanding naming pool. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the best approach to naming celestial bodies.

Contextual Notes

The discussion reflects a variety of assumptions about cultural representation and the historical practices of naming celestial objects. There are also unresolved questions about the future naming conventions as more objects are discovered.

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Should we "Makemake" anything about the name?

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

What's the deal with some of these new planets being named after other mythological gods? Traditionally, the planets were named after the Greek gods, but Sedna and now Makemake are two different mythologies entirely.

I'm not saying it's a bad thing, I think they're cool names, but is there any reason why new planets are being named from different mythologies? Surely they can't run out of Greek gods?
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org


There are apparently more "bodies" or "plutons" or "plutoids" in the Kuiper belt than the ancient Greeks needed to name Gods to explain their universe.

Maybe it's a good gesture to be inclusive of less well-known mythologies to bring them a little sunshine?

Until the full extent of the Kuiper object field is more accurately determined, it may be that including all the world's religions and mythologies might not ultimately be a large enough pool of names. (Presumably not of course.) But if so, pity the school kids asked to memorize that mess.
 


LowlyPion said:
pity the school kids asked to memorize that mess.
Pleez. We've stopped asking them to do math manually, why would we expect them to remember things manually? :rolleyes:
 


Well, for one thing, these newly discovered bodies are not "planets". For the other, the tradition of naming objects in the Solar system after Greek deities was broken long ago. All the Moons of Uranus are named after characters in Shakespearean plays. The first was named in 1787.
 


DaveC426913 said:
Pleez. We've stopped asking them to do math manually, why would we expect them to remember things manually? :rolleyes:

Oh, darn. You caught me being facetious.

Actually things have gotten easier now that they don't have to remember Pluto

Forget:
My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas

Make it:
My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Noodles
 


LowlyPion said:
Oh, darn. You caught me being facetious.
I know. I was facetizing with you, not at you. :approve:
 

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