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Help Name Pluto's Newly Discovered Moons
Pluto is one of the little mysteries of our solar system. An icy dwarf planet far from Earth, it's never been studied up close. The best scientists have been able to do is to examine it with the Hubble Space Telescope, one of the coolest scientific instruments ever invented.
In 2011 and 2012, they discovered two new moons around Pluto, bringing the total number of its satellites to five. Right now they're known by the boring scientific designations S/2011 (134340) 1 and S/2012 (134340) 1. Most astronomers call them by the shorter yet equally boring nicknames P4 and P5. Now an online poll on the website Pluto Rocks!, run by Dr. Mark Showalter of the P4/P5 Discovery Team, is letting YOU help decide what to name them.
All the choices come from Greek and Roman mythology but one has a special significance for science fiction fans – Vulcan. None other than William Shatner has gotten behind the push to name one of the moons after Mr. Spock's home world. He's urging fans via his twitter feed to vote for Vulcan. On his own twitter feed, Leonard Nimoy said, "'Vulcan' is the logical choice. LLAP." LLAP stands for "Live long and prosper," of course.
According to the current tally, Vulcan is way ahead, with Cerberus and Styx neck-and-neck for second place. I decided to release my inner Trekkie and voted for Vulcan. Since there are two moons to be named, you get to go back and vote again. I'll be voting for Thanatos. It's way behind but it's the coolest name on there after Vulcan.
P4 is Pluto's smallest moon, measuring an estimated 8-21 miles across and orbits Pluto in about 31 days. P5 is 6-16 miles across and orbits Pluto in 20 days. Little is known about their physical makeup although it is thought they are a combination of water ice, other frozen elements and molecules, and small bits of rock.
While astronauts and space tourists won't be getting to these destinations anytime soon, it's nice to know that you had a part in naming them. Voting ends at noon EST on Monday, February 25.
[Photo courtesy NASA via the Hubble Space Telescope]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Limey Barrett Feb 22nd 2013 2:01AM
My vote for Pluto's moons?
Donald and Mickey
Both are an absolute must...
Vulcan? duh!!
Cerberus and Styx ? ... how typical of the gas heads.
Ollin Feb 23rd 2013 3:00AM
With great sadness I see my entry of Xolotl ignored for the Greco-Roman favoritism. If all scientific options only draw from a limited cultural option, how is it able to identify and reach the whole of humanity.
veronica Feb 24th 2013 2:45AM
i say one moon should be named chico
yaridanjo Feb 25th 2013 5:22AM
Madam Blavatsky ~ 1900 gave the name 'Vulcan' to a major body in our solar system, and gave us the means to find it. It is a half Jupiter mass body in a 4969 year highly inclined orbit about our Sun.
Google: VULCAN REVEALED