It's bigger than pluto, and it orbits the sun. Currently it's called 2003 UB313.

Surely we can come up with something better. If we start calling it by a name, then it might catch on.

Judging by how much SF gets spidered by search engine robots (when the forum was open whilst still being under configuration, the user list showed many search engine spiders traversing the posts), if we post enough associations with 2003 UB313 and the name we give it, it might simply become the defacto name for it; before any authority gets as far as convening a panel to choose a method to elect a panel to plan the consultation exercise to choose the feasability studies of the various methods of choosing a name and their relative merits.

So any suggestions? 2003 UB313 isn't very snappy.

Currently (I believe) we have:-

Mercury - Roman; Messenger
Venus - Roman; Beauty
Earth - ??? Can't remember for the life of me where Earth comes from... It should really have been called Ceres...
Mars - Roman; War
Jupiter - Roman; King
Saturn - Roman; ???
Uranus - Roman; Heavens
Neptune - Roman; Sea
Pluto - Roman; After-life

So to follow with the tradition, how about:-
Apollo - Roman; God of the Sun... As it orbits the sun :suspect:... Yes, I know all the planets in our solar system orbit the sun :rolleyes:, but it's the only other Roman name I can think of that should really be the name of a planet...
Of course, we could lobby for it to be called the Sheffield Forum-o, but I think there may be protest.

What about Maia - Goddess of growth, being as our solar system seems to be growing?

What about Maia - Goddess of growth, being as our solar system seems to be growing?


What about 'MAIARSE' - like Uranus but bigger! :hihi:

Call it sheffield, built it a town hall, pack the city councils bags and blast them off. i'm sure the roads are better there... i think the roads are probably better on the moon infact..........

well I think HONEYPLANET is the perfect name, although Dons suggestion is a close second :D

It's bigger than pluto, and it orbits the sun. Currently it's called 2003 UB313.

Surely we can come up with something better. If we start calling it by a name, then it might catch on.
.

And if we dont give it a name then it will dissappear?

i'd give it the name "Mongo"


...no reason :hihi:

How about:

novus, latin for New!

How about "getsomemilk"? You can then say "I am just nipping out to getsomemilk, I may be gone a while".

How about Clare, after the B 52s' song, 'Planet Clare'? Either that or Malcolm.

Janus (the two-faced god of gateways) would be a good name. One face looking back to the planets discovered earlier, the other to discoveries yet to come.

if they wouldn't let me have "mongo"

i'd have to go for "bosko"

What about the recent discoveries of 'planetary' bodies Sedna and Xena? And I think there's another one, but I can't remember what it's been tentatively named at the moment. Is this 2003 UB313 one of these or something else new?

I know there's been a bit of a furore recently over newly-discovered objects in the heavens being named before the official body has a chance to decide on a correct name.

I believe there was quite a bit of horror expressed at the naming of Xena! :D

What about a bit of optimism in the naming? I'd like to suggest PANDORA - gift to all the world.

StarSparkle

PS I've just looked into this a bit, and it looks like 2003 UB313 has indeed tentatively been named 'Xena'

...What about a bit of optimism in the naming? I'd like to suggest PANDORA - gift to all the world.

StarSparkle
Pandora's gift to the world was sorrow, disease and sundry other horrors when she opened the box. Still, I suppose that as hope was there too, it is a little bit optimistic.

Pandora's gift to the world was sorrow, disease and sundry other horrors when she opened the box. Still, I suppose that as hope was there too, it is a little bit optimistic.

HOPE is the most important thing of all, as the legend of Pandora indicated. Without hope, there is only despair.

Personally, with the way the world's going at the moment, I think the poor world could do with all the hope it can get.

StarSparkle

HOPE is the most important thing of all, as the legend of Pandora indicated. Without hope, there is only despair.

Personally, with the way the world's going at the moment, I think the poor world could do with all the hope it can get.

StarSparkle
True, but Pandora does have such negative connotations for such an exciting discovery. I'm sure there must be a Roman god or godess of hope out there somewhere.

Just checked; yes there is. Spes is the Roman goddess of Hope (not a particularly attractive name though):

"In Roman mythology, Spes was the goddess of hope. She was traditionally defined as "the last goddess" (Spes, ultima dea), meaning that hope is the last resource available to men."

[EDIT: Quote is from here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spes).]

As I mentioned in an earlier post, though, it looks like the new 'planet' has been named 'Xena', causing consternation in some quarters!

Jonathan Cainer has been talking about Xena for the last few months on his website, and suggests her connotation of Warrior Princess could mean the true liberation of women across the world. I guess all will be revealed in the fullness of time!

I still like the idea of Pandora - things may be hard and difficult, but Hope will triumph. The human spirit, buoyed up by the gift of hope, will ultimately overcome all the many trials and hardships it is likely to face in the decades to come. I think that's a very grown-up attitude towards the future.

StarSparkle

As I mentioned in an earlier post, though, it looks like the new 'planet' has been named 'Xena', causing consternation in some quarters!

Jonathan Cainer has been talking about Xena for the last few months on his website, and suggests her connotation of Warrior Princess could mean the true liberation of women across the world. I guess all will be revealed in the fullness of time!

I still like the idea of Pandora - things may be hard and difficult, but Hope will triumph. The human spirit, buoyed up by the gift of hope, will ultimately overcome all the many trials and hardships it is likely to face in the decades to come. I think that's a very grown-up attitude towards the future.

StarSparkle
Well, your glass is certainly half-full :) .

Xena's definately an interesting choice, though I believe it was a slightly jovial name the researchers used between themselves. Lila was another one. I don't think they've revealed the names they submitted to the official 'naming body' (whose name escapes me at the minute).

Persephone would be a good choice, for the connections to Pluto. Still a bit on the negative side though.

Well, your glass is certainly half-full :) .

Xena's definately an interesting choice, though I believe it was a slightly jovial name the researchers used between themselves. Lila was another one. I don't think they've revealed the names they submitted to the official 'naming body' (whose name escapes me at the minute).

Persephone would be a good choice, for the connections to Pluto. Still a bit on the negative side though.

Dear, dear, PPN_2204 - you do see the glass as being half-empty, don't you? ;) :)

I believe Persephone has been put forward as a potential name for the new 'planet', but there is already an asteroid of that name, so it seems an unlikely final choice.

We wait with baited breath!

StarSparkle

Dear, dear, PPN_2204 - you do see the glass as being half-empty, don't you? ;) :)
LOL. Why yes, yes I do. I actually prefer the term 'realistic' or maybe even 'cynical', but pessimistic will do at a pinch.

I believe Persephone has been put forward as a potential name for the new 'planet', but there is already an asteroid of that name, so it seems an unlikely final choice.

We wait with baited breath!

StarSparkle
We obviously read the same article. Yes, I know Persephone won't be the prospective planet's new name, but it is rather pretty :) .

Vesta - Goddess of the Home

No particular reason, other than I like the name ;)

Vesta - Goddess of the Home

No particular reason, other than I like the name ;)
I like this bit about Vesta:
"She was a quiet well-behaved goddess, who didn't join in the arguments and fights of the other gods."
Not much smiting (smoting?) from vesta then.

The name still reminds me of curry though.

I'd suggest Fortuna--the Roman goddess of chance, luck, anything subject to the vagaries of uncertainty. She had a powerful influence in the post-Roman,medieval world too. Her name suggests that the finding of any further planetary bodies may be purely fortuitous--who knows what might be out there?

What about Vulcan? :D

He's the chap on top of our town hall; the Roman god of "fire and volcanoes, and the manufacturer of art, arms, iron, and armor for gods and heroes."

Besides, if there's a planet Vulcan, then we can pretend we're living on Star Trek... ;)

How about Ice Cube thats all it is ,With 10thousand more found in the same belt.

Well if there's a Pluto what about a Mickey. Seriously though it's a good notion Phan. What about Minerva the Goddess of wisdom? :)

Ps Minerva keeps with the Roman link:)

Hows about 'KEVIN' : The Saxon god of trainspotters, real ale enthusiasts, and Civil War re-enactment societies?

I've just found this on Jonathan Cainer's site this evening:

From http://stars.metawire.com

"Last year, scientists found a new object at the edge of our solar system. They gave it a jokey nickname and were reluctant to label it a planet. Now, they think that 'UB313' is bigger than Pluto... and everyone still calls it Xena. How important is this new astrological influence? We will soon be able to see for ourselves. Outside western society, billions of women today have no more rights than they did 1,000 years ago. If our sky really does have a new 'goddess' and she IS a warrior princess, that won't be the case for much longer!"

Hope it's of some interest.

StarSparkle