. Energy News .




OUTER PLANETS
Public to vote on names for Pluto moons
by Staff Writers
Mountain View, Calif. (UPI) Feb 11, 2013


disclaimer: image is for illustration purposes only

The U.S.-led team that discovered two new moons of the dwarf planet Pluto says they're asking the public to vote on potential names for the distant worlds.

The fourth and fifth moons of Pluto, named for the Greek god of the underworld, are currently known simply as P4 and P5.

Tradition hold the names of Pluto's moons are taken from Greek and Roman mythology and relate to Hades and the underworld; the first three of Pluto's moons discovered are named Charon, discovered in 1978, and Nix and Hydra, both discovered in 2005.

Among the potential names for P4 and P5 are Cerburus, Hercules and Orpheus, NewScientist.com reported Monday.

Mark Showalter of the SETI Institute in Mountain View, Calif., head of the team that discovered the new moon, said write-in votes also would be considered, as long as they follow the naming tradition.

Astronomer Clyde Tombaugh, who first spotted Pluto in 1930, chose the name following the suggestion of an 11-year-old girl named Venetia Burney.

"I like to think that we are doing honor to Tombaugh's legacy by now opening up the naming of Pluto's two tiniest known moons to everyone," Showalter said.

People can vote by visiting http://plutorocks.seti.org.

The final decision on the moons' names will be up to the International Astronomical Union.

.


Related Links
The million outer planets of a star called Sol






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle




Memory Foam Mattress Review

Newsletters :: SpaceDaily Express :: SpaceWar Express :: TerraDaily Express :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News

Get Our Free Newsletters
Space - Defense - Environment - Energy - Solar - Nuclear

...





OUTER PLANETS
New Horizons Aims to Put Its Stamp on History
Bethesda MD (SPX) Feb 03, 2012
New Horizons' flight to explore the Pluto system in July 2015 will be a historic accomplishment for the U.S. space program, for planetary science, and indeed for all humankind. Plans for the flyby are well under way - and now, so is an effort to petition the U.S. Postal Service to commemorate the historic achievements of New Horizons on a stamp. The mission team launches that petition toda ... read more


OUTER PLANETS
US launches Earth observation satellite

NightPod Images Bring Earth to Light From Space Station

Landsat Data Continuity Mission Awaits Liftoff

Ball Supplies Advanced Imaging Instrument For Landsat 8

OUTER PLANETS
System improves GPS in city locations

Boeing to modernize U.S. Air Force GPS net

Smart satnav drives around the blue highway blues

Lockheed Martin Completes Major GPS III Flight Software Milestone

OUTER PLANETS
Taiwan's 'King of the Trees' fights for the forests

Outside View: Restoring Lebanon's forests

Mixed forest provides beneficial effects

Paper giant APP promises no deforestation in Indonesia

OUTER PLANETS
Hydrothermal liquefaction - the most promising path to a sustainable bio-oil production

Scientists turn toxic by-product into biofuel booster

Reaping Profits from Landfill Biogas

Versalis and Yulex partner to produce guayule-based biorubbers

OUTER PLANETS
Promoting Reliability Standards for Solar Modules

Astrum Solar Teams with DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions

ET Solar AC Modules Installed in Residential Systems in the US

Three groSolar Projects Receive Awards

OUTER PLANETS
Gone with the wind: French scheme targets farting cows

Mainstream Renewable Power Starts Building Wind Farm in Chile

Hgcapital And Blue Energy Agree UK Wind Farm Investment Deal

Sabotage may have felled U.K. wind turbine

OUTER PLANETS
China mine blast kills 17: state media

OUTER PLANETS
Nepal police report 100th Tibet self-immolation bid

China needs 'full-scale' reform to fight inequality

China bans ads on gift-giving to officials: media

China province stops some labour camp terms: media




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2012 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement