Get ready to start naming exoplanets!

[Takket]

The process is explained at the link........

I think the first three should be named Vulcan, Tatooine and Gallifrey in honor those shows/movies and all the people inspired to go into sciences/engineering because of them. I should know, I am one of them!

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/2014/07/09/name-that-planet-exoplanet-names-opened-to-vote/

[tridim]

1. Wouldn't Tatooine be in a galaxy far-far away?

I do like it, but that little movie fact bugs me.

[Half-Century Man]

2. Absolutely not

In Order
Wells
Verne
Asimov
Heinlein
Campbell
Le Guin
Herbert
Bradbury
Sturgeon
Clarke
Zelazny
Del Ray
Simak
van Vogt
and not least by any means, the best name for the first system having multiple inhabitable planets; Roddenberry.

These are the people responsible for us looking for exoplanets in the first place.
Bless and honor the dreamers.

[Takket]

6. you make good points!

[Javaman]

11. You put Heinlein before Clarke!!

sacrilege!

[Half-Century Man]

12. My arguments

Citizen of the Galaxy
The Roads Must Roll
Starship Troopers (Book, not the crappy movie)
Stranger in a Strange Land
Glory Road

I am willing to change the original message header to "In No Particular Order", compromise is key to democracy.

[Javaman]

13. LOL I'll accept "in no particular order"

Cheers!

[Staph]

3. I quoted your response

on the website. I totally agree!

[longship]

4. Alas, the astronomers will still call them

things like:

Gliese 581d (star catalog name, index of the catalog of star, letter indicating planet, beginning with 'a', in order of discovery)

51 Peg a (51st brightest star in apparent magnitude in the constellation Pegasus, 1st planet discovered there)

1RXS J160929.1?210524a (catalog 1RXS, star at Right ascension 16:09:29.1 and declination -21:05:24, first planet discovered)

Etc.

You get the idea. There are so fucking many stars in the galaxy that it would be stupid to name them and astronomers wouldn't use the name anyway.

Naming planets is equally lame if one thought that astronomers would actually use the names. (Well, maybe one could rename that star 1RXS... Call it Fred, or Wilma -- thanks NdGT. Whatever.) I am sure astronomers have shortcut names for everything, but when they communicate with other astronomers, I am afraid we are back to 1RXS J160929.1?210524a.

But this is a science fund raising effort. So if you want a cool looking certificate saying your name for an exoplanet, fully understanding that it is just a fund raising promotion, go for it. If I had extra cash I would do it. It is a very good cause. And the promotions such as this that I've seen are inexpensive. Just avoid the "buy a star" scammers.

So, have at it, Hoss!

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. On the contrary, they are going to some lengths to keep money out of it

Only public astronomical organisations (such as Planetariums, Science Centres, Amateur Astronomy Clubs, Online Astronomy platforms) or non-profit astronomy-interested organisations (such as High schools, Cultural clubs) with a proven interest in astronomy, (hereafter "organisations" for short) based in any country, shall be allowed to propose names.
...
These organisations may not gather suggestions for names by means of sales, donations or other financial transactions. Organisations may not sell their right to suggest names to other entities or try to gain any other non-commercial or commercial benefit from their right to suggest names to the IAU.
...
In addition it is not allowed to propose:

Names of pet animals.
Names of a purely or principally commercial nature.
names of individuals, places or events principally known for political, military or religious activities.
Names of living individuals.

Only names that are not protected by trademarks or other forms of intellectual property claims may be proposed.

http://nameexoworlds.org/

As you say, astronomers may continue to use Gliese 581d or whatever, but they may switch to the chosen names - a memorable name may be better than an easily-confused catalogue number.

It is understood that the winning public names, after the general public vote, will not replace the scientific designations, but will be recognised by the IAU as the appropriate publicly used name for the object(s), and be publicised as such, along with due credit to the organisation that proposed it. This public name may then be used internationally along with, or instead of, the scientific designation, permanently and without restrictions.

[longship]

9. As I said...

It is understood that the winning public names, after the general public vote, will not replace the scientific designations, but will be recognised by the IAU as the appropriate publicly used name for the object(s), and be publicised as such, along with due credit to the organisation that proposed it. This public name may then be used internationally along with, or instead of, the scientific designation, permanently and without restrictions.

The names will not likely be used in scientific papers.

Anyway, already names like Kepler 581d are becoming known by those in the public who care about these things. And again, there are already likely too many exo planets to make naming them practical which is the reason why the whole idea is ridiculous from the get go.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

5. 'Bob'. nt

[Takket]

7. Just PLEASE no more greek/roman gods!

our whole solar system is named after them........... enough. Those stories are in the distant past. Please give us options that represent our modern culture.

[longship]

10. Great, then some idiot will name some planetoid Kardashian.

Then, I'll have to be throwing up every time some news story mentions it.

No thank you. In our solar system, let's stick with mythology. Anyway, some of the names are cool. What's not to like about Makemake?

[lexx21]

14. But it would have to be a cold, dense, uninviting, and insignificant planetoid... just saying... n/t