New Stuff in Our Solar System
I recently came across lists of the names that astronomers have given to all the new objects found in our solar system by the different probes we have sent out. I also found a list of names given to the new planets we are finding outside our solar system, and other names suggested as replacements. It interested me that the naming of real stellar bodies is quite different to the naming of planets in Science Fiction, so I thought I’d have a look at both to see how they work.
Planets in Science Fiction
One of the major tasks for a science fiction writer is to name their planets. There isn’t quite a formula for this, but there are some bendable rules:
A planet name should sound serious, if not scientific.
There shouldn’t be any stupid names unless the text is a spoof e.g. Crouton in They Came From Outer Space is acceptable for a satire.
Names should preferably be one or two syllables and end in ‘a’, ‘us’ or ‘an’.
Prefixes should be Greek letters or key words like ‘new’.
The name should give some idea about the physical or philosophical nature of the planet.
Details
1. Real names: Some fictional planets are called after real locations:
Real star names like Alpha Centauri (Crusher Joe; Doctor Who The Curse of Peladon; Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri; Lost in Space; Space Patrol 1960; Aldebaran (Buck Rogers: Plot to Kill a City); Ganymede ( Babylon 5: By Any Means Necessary; Mercy Point; Rod Brown of the Rocket Rangers).
Real place names like Bretagne ( McCaffrey: Sassinak); Lost Jerusalem (Xenosaga); Victoria (LeGuin: The Eye of the Heron). Note that these seem to occur in novels rather than in films.
2. Abstract words: Destiny (Blake 7: Mission to Destroy); Fury (Alien 3); Harmony (Maelstrom; Card: The Memory of Earth).
3. Descriptors: Crematoria (Chronicles of Riddick); Frostor (Galaxy High School); Pacifica (Spinrad: A World Between).
4. Greek prefixes: Beta 5 (Blake 7: Gold); Beta 9 (Babylon 5: Between the Darkness and the Light); Delta (Space Patrol 1960); Delta 3 (Doctor who: The Power of Kroll); Delta 5-5 9The Colony).
5. Defining prefixes: New Earth (Doctor Who: Invasion of the Dinosaurs/Dogstar/Babylon 5: The Deconstruction of Falling Stars); New Mecca (Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury); Phantom Planet (Starcrash/ Starblazers/ Film title); Devil Planet (Lensman, film); Beast Planet (Shadow Raiders).
6. Suffixes: Homeworld (Micronauts/Blake 7: The City at the Edge of the World); Rimmerworld (Red Dwarf: Rimmerworld); Oceansphere (Xardion); Sensesphere (Doctor Who: The Sensorites).
7. Prime or Secundus: Gauda Prime (Blake 7: Blake); Salusa Secundus (Dune).
8. Major or Minor: Androzani Minor (Doctor Who: The Caves of Androzani); Saurian Major (Blake 7: time Squad)
9. Endings should be latinate – Arazia (Andromeda: Rose in the Ashes); Gradius (Gradius); Luminas 6 (Space Raiders). However other endings like ‘b’ or ‘k’ are used : Deneb IV (Star Terk: The Next Generation: encounter at Farpoint); Antak (Stargate SG1: the Devil You Know)
10. Organised numbering : Stargate’s system : P2A018 goes to P9Q873 has over 50 planets. But who remembers which is which?
So as long as a planet name fits the basic parameters, anything goes in science fiction. What happens in the real world?
Naming the New Bodies in the Solar System
Since 1973 names have been given to 45 satellites of Jupiter, 43 of Saturn, 22 of Uranus, 11 of Neptune, 3 of Pluto, 1 of Eris and 2 of Haumea. The number of new names keeps changing with new discoveries. The names of these bodies come primarily from Graeco-Roman Mythology, with new names coming from other cultures and Shakespearean plays ( and a poem by Alexander Pope). There is also a numbering system that would make Stargate proud.
Jupiter: These satellites are named after the lovers and favorites of Jupiter and his descendents. These names double up with some asteroids. Examples are: Metis, Adrastea, Amalthea, Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Leda, Himalia , Lysithea, Elara, Ananke, Carme, Pasiphae, Sinope.
Saturn: This planet has ten groups of moons. Some of these are named after Greek Titans, and giants and monsters from other cultures. Phoebe is the only exception.
The shepherd moons: Pan, Daphnis, Atlas, Prometheus, Pandora, Aegaeon, S/2004 S3, S4 and S6.
Co-orbitals: Janus and Epimetheus.
Inner large moons and Alkyonides: Mimas; Methone, Anthe, Pallene, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione.
Trojans: Telesto, Calypso, Helen, Polydeuces and Rhea.
E-ring : Titan, Hyperion, Iapetus. Innuit group: Ijiraq, Kiviuq, Paaliaq, Siarnaq, Targeq.
Norse Group: Aegir, Bergelmir, Bestla, Farabuati, Fenrir, Fornjot, Greip, Hati, Hyrrokkin, Jarnsaxa, Kari, Loge, Mundilfari, Narvi, Phoebe, Skathi, Skoll, Surtur, Suttungr, Thrymr, Ymir and 8 with numbers.
Gallic Group : Albiorix, Bebhionn, Erriapus, Tarvos.
Neptune: These satellites are named after Greek sea gods and goddesses e.g. Triton, Nereid, Thalassa, Despina, Galatea, Larissa, Proteus.
Uranus: Satellites are named after characters in A Midsummer Nights Dream, The Tempest , Much Ado About Nothing, and The Rape of the Lock: Miranda, Oberon, Titania, Ariel, Umbriel, Margaret.
Pluto: Satellites are Charon, Hydra and Nix who are all related to the Greek god Hades, the equivalent of Pluto.
What Happens Outside the Solar System?
At present extra-solar planets are named after their parent star, with numbers attached. This results in many planet names being strings of letters and numbers. That’s not so bad when you get 4 Ursa Majoris B or Gliese 86b, but it’s bad when its HD169830 b and there are a lot of those.
In response to the lack of decent names, various groups such as Edasich, BlueEarth and Sedna have been coming up with names, most of which once again come from Mythology.
It’s not too bad when 47 Ursa Majoris b gets a name like Nanook, which is Inuit for bear, but surely we could do without Leda for 16 Cygni Bb, or Horus for Gliese 777b. Enough with the gods and goddesses! And the names should be pronounceable – I prefer Upsilon Andromedae c to Sthenelus.
Perhaps these people need to be sent a list of planet names used in Science Fiction to get a wider variety of names that are different but can still be pronounced!
It’s depressing that people are going to name exciting new planets after gods and goddesses. There is a balance of male and female names in the current naming process, unlike in older times when only male names were used . But we need to get more creative with our names until we meet aliens who have their own names for these places!
How to Name a Stellar Body
I recently came across lists of the names astronomers have given to all the new objects found in our solar system by the different probes we have sent out. I also found a list of names given to the new planets we are finding outside our solar system, and other names suggested as replacements. It interested me that the naming of real stellar bodies is quite different to the naming of planets in Science Fiction, so I thought I’d have a look at both to see how they work.
Planets in Science Fiction
One of the major tasks for a science fiction writer is to name their planets. There isn’t quite a formula for this, but there are some bendable rules:
A planet name should sound serious, if not scientific.
There shouldn’t be any stupid names unless the text is a spoof e.g. Crouton in They Came From Outer Space is acceptable for a satire.
Names should preferably be one or two syllables and end in ‘a’, ‘us’ or ‘an’.
Prefixes should be Greek letters or key words like ‘new’.
The name should give some idea about the physical or philosophical nature of the planet.
Details
1. Real names: Some fictional planets are called after real locations:
Real star names like Alpha Centauri (Crusher Joe; Doctor Who The Curse of Peladon; Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri; Lost in Space; Space Patrol 1960; Aldebaran (Buck Rogers: Plot to Kill a City); Ganymede ( Babylon 5: By Any Means Necessary; Mercy Point; Rod Brown of the Rocket Rangers).
Real place names like Bretagne ( McCaffrey: Sassinak); Lost Jerusalem (Xenosaga); Victoria (LeGuin: The Eye of the Heron). Note that these seem to occur in novels rather than in films.
2. Abstract words: Destiny (Blake 7: Mission to Destroy); Fury (Alien 3); Harmony (Maelstrom; Card: The Memory of Earth).
3. Descriptors: Crematoria (Chronicles of Riddick); Frostor (Galaxy High School); Pacifica (Spinrad: A World Between).
4. Greek prefixes: Beta 5 (Blake 7: Gold); Beta 9 (Babylon 5: Between the Darkness and the Light); Delta (Space Patrol 1960); Delta 3 (Doctor who: The Power of Kroll); Delta 5-5 9The Colony).
5. Defining prefixes: New Earth (Doctor Who: Invasion of the Dinosaurs/Dogstar/Babylon 5: The Deconstruction of Falling Stars); New Mecca (Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury); Phantom Planet (Starcrash/ Starblazers/ Film title); Devil Planet (Lensman, film); Beast Planet (Shadow Raiders).
6. Suffixes: Homeworld (Micronauts/Blake 7: The City at the Edge of the World); Rimmerworld (Red Dwarf: Rimmerworld); Oceansphere (Xardion); Sensesphere (Doctor Who: The Sensorites).
7. Prime or Secundus: Gauda Prime (Blake 7: Blake); Salusa Secundus (Dune).
8. Major or Minor: Androzani Minor (Doctor Who: The Caves of Androzani); Saurian Major (Blake 7: time Squad)
9. Endings should be latinate – Arazia (Andromeda: Rose in the Ashes); Gradius (Gradius); Luminas 6 (Space Raiders). However other endings like ‘b’ or ‘k’ are used : Deneb IV (Star Terk: The Next Generation: encounter at Farpoint); Antak (Stargate SG1: the Devil You Know)
10. Organised numbering : Stargate’s system : P2A018 goes to P9Q873 has over 50 planets. But who remembers which is which?
So as long as a planet name fits the basic parameters, anything goes in science fiction. What happens in the real world?
Naming the New Bodies in the Solar System
Since 1973 names have been given to 45 satellites of Jupiter, 43 of Saturn, 22 of Uranus, 11 of Neptune, 3 of Pluto, 1 of Eris and 2 of Haumea. The number of new names keeps changing with new discoveries. The names of these bodies come primarily from Graeco-Roman Mythology, with new names coming from other cultures and Shakespearean plays ( and a poem by Alexander Pope). There is also a numbering system that would make Stargate proud.
Jupiter: These satellites are named after the lovers and favorites of Jupiter and his descendents. These names double up with some asteroids. Examples are: Metis, Adrastea, Amalthea, Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Leda, Himalia , Lysithea, Elara, Ananke, Carme, Pasiphae, Sinope.
Saturn: This planet has ten groups of moons. Some of these are named after Greek Titans, and giants and monsters from other cultures. Phoebe is the only exception.
The shepherd moons: Pan, Daphnis, Atlas, Prometheus, Pandora, Aegaeon, S/2004 S3, S4 and S6.
Co-orbitals: Janus and Epimetheus.
Inner large moons and Alkyonides: Mimas; Methone, Anthe, Pallene, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione.
Trojans: Telesto, Calypso, Helen, Polydeuces and Rhea.
E-ring : Titan, Hyperion, Iapetus. Innuit group: Ijiraq, Kiviuq, Paaliaq, Siarnaq, Targeq.
Norse Group: Aegir, Bergelmir, Bestla, Farabuati, Fenrir, Fornjot, Greip, Hati, Hyrrokkin, Jarnsaxa, Kari, Loge, Mundilfari, Narvi, Phoebe, Skathi, Skoll, Surtur, Suttungr, Thrymr, Ymir and 8 with numbers.
Gallic Group : Albiorix, Bebhionn, Erriapus, Tarvos.
Neptune: These satellites are named after Greek sea gods and goddesses e.g. Triton, Nereid, Thalassa, Despina, Galatea, Larissa, Proteus.
Uranus: Satellites are named after characters in A Midsummer Nights Dream, The Tempest , Much Ado About Nothing, and The Rape of the Lock: Miranda, Oberon, Titania, Ariel, Umbriel, Margaret.
Pluto: Satellites are Charon, Hydra and Nix who are all related to the Greek god Hades, the equivalent of Pluto.
What Happens Outside the Solar System?
At present extra-solar planets are named after their parent star, with numbers attached. This results in many planet names being strings of letters and numbers. That’s not so bad when you get 4 Ursa Majoris B or Gliese 86b, but it’s bad when its HD169830 b and there are a lot of those.
In response to the lack of decent names, various groups such as Edasich, BlueEarth and Sedna have been coming up with names, most of which once again come from Mythology.
It’s not too bad when 47 Ursa Majoris b gets a name like Nanook, which is Inuit for bear, but surely we could do without Leda for 16 Cygni Bb, or Horus for Gliese 777b. Enough with the gods and goddesses! And the names should be pronounceable – I prefer Upsilon Andromedae c to Sthenelus.
Perhaps these people need to be sent a list of planet names used in Science Fiction to get a wider variety of names that are different but can still be pronounced!
It’s depressing that people are going to name exciting new planets after gods and goddesses. There is a balance of male and female names in the current naming process, unlike in older times when only male names were used . But we need to get more creative with our names until we meet aliens who have their own names for these places!
How to Name a Stellar Body
I recently came across lists of the names astronomers have given to all the new objects found in our solar system by the different probes we have sent out. I also found a list of names given to the new planets we are finding outside our solar system, and other names suggested as replacements. It interested me that the naming of real stellar bodies is quite different to the naming of planets in Science Fiction, so I thought I’d have a look at both to see how they work.
Planets in Science Fiction
One of the major tasks for a science fiction writer is to name their planets. There isn’t quite a formula for this, but there are some bendable rules:
A planet name should sound serious, if not scientific.
There shouldn’t be any stupid names unless the text is a spoof e.g. Crouton in They Came From Outer Space is acceptable for a satire.
Names should preferably be one or two syllables and end in ‘a’, ‘us’ or ‘an’.
Prefixes should be Greek letters or key words like ‘new’.
The name should give some idea about the physical or philosophical nature of the planet.
Details
1. Real names: Some fictional planets are called after real locations:
Real star names like Alpha Centauri (Crusher Joe; Doctor Who The Curse of Peladon; Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri; Lost in Space; Space Patrol 1960; Aldebaran (Buck Rogers: Plot to Kill a City); Ganymede ( Babylon 5: By Any Means Necessary; Mercy Point; Rod Brown of the Rocket Rangers).
Real place names like Bretagne ( McCaffrey: Sassinak); Lost Jerusalem (Xenosaga); Victoria (LeGuin: The Eye of the Heron). Note that these seem to occur in novels rather than in films.
2. Abstract words: Destiny (Blake 7: Mission to Destroy); Fury (Alien 3); Harmony (Maelstrom; Card: The Memory of Earth).
3. Descriptors: Crematoria (Chronicles of Riddick); Frostor (Galaxy High School); Pacifica (Spinrad: A World Between).
4. Greek prefixes: Beta 5 (Blake 7: Gold); Beta 9 (Babylon 5: Between the Darkness and the Light); Delta (Space Patrol 1960); Delta 3 (Doctor who: The Power of Kroll); Delta 5-5 9The Colony).
5. Defining prefixes: New Earth (Doctor Who: Invasion of the Dinosaurs/Dogstar/Babylon 5: The Deconstruction of Falling Stars); New Mecca (Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury); Phantom Planet (Starcrash/ Starblazers/ Film title); Devil Planet (Lensman, film); Beast Planet (Shadow Raiders).
6. Suffixes: Homeworld (Micronauts/Blake 7: The City at the Edge of the World); Rimmerworld (Red Dwarf: Rimmerworld); Oceansphere (Xardion); Sensesphere (Doctor Who: The Sensorites).
7. Prime or Secundus: Gauda Prime (Blake 7: Blake); Salusa Secundus (Dune).
8. Major or Minor: Androzani Minor (Doctor Who: The Caves of Androzani); Saurian Major (Blake 7: time Squad)
9. Endings should be latinate – Arazia (Andromeda: Rose in the Ashes); Gradius (Gradius); Luminas 6 (Space Raiders). However other endings like ‘b’ or ‘k’ are used : Deneb IV (Star Terk: The Next Generation: encounter at Farpoint); Antak (Stargate SG1: the Devil You Know)
10. Organised numbering : Stargate’s system : P2A018 goes to P9Q873 has over 50 planets. But who remembers which is which?
So as long as a planet name fits the basic parameters, anything goes in science fiction. What happens in the real world?
Naming the New Bodies in the Solar System
Since 1973 names have been given to 45 satellites of Jupiter, 43 of Saturn, 22 of Uranus, 11 of Neptune, 3 of Pluto, 1 of Eris and 2 of Haumea. The number of new names keeps changing with new discoveries. The names of these bodies come primarily from Graeco-Roman Mythology, with new names coming from other cultures and Shakespearean plays ( and a poem by Alexander Pope). There is also a numbering system that would make Stargate proud.
Jupiter: These satellites are named after the lovers and favorites of Jupiter and his descendents. These names double up with some asteroids. Examples are: Metis, Adrastea, Amalthea, Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Leda, Himalia , Lysithea, Elara, Ananke, Carme, Pasiphae, Sinope.
Saturn: This planet has ten groups of moons. Some of these are named after Greek Titans, and giants and monsters from other cultures. Phoebe is the only exception.
The shepherd moons: Pan, Daphnis, Atlas, Prometheus, Pandora, Aegaeon, S/2004 S3, S4 and S6.
Co-orbitals: Janus and Epimetheus.
Inner large moons and Alkyonides: Mimas; Methone, Anthe, Pallene, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione.
Trojans: Telesto, Calypso, Helen, Polydeuces and Rhea.
E-ring : Titan, Hyperion, Iapetus. Innuit group: Ijiraq, Kiviuq, Paaliaq, Siarnaq, Targeq.
Norse Group: Aegir, Bergelmir, Bestla, Farabuati, Fenrir, Fornjot, Greip, Hati, Hyrrokkin, Jarnsaxa, Kari, Loge, Mundilfari, Narvi, Phoebe, Skathi, Skoll, Surtur, Suttungr, Thrymr, Ymir and 8 with numbers.
Gallic Group : Albiorix, Bebhionn, Erriapus, Tarvos.
Neptune: These satellites are named after Greek sea gods and goddesses e.g. Triton, Nereid, Thalassa, Despina, Galatea, Larissa, Proteus.
Uranus: Satellites are named after characters in A Midsummer Nights Dream, The Tempest , Much Ado About Nothing, and The Rape of the Lock: Miranda, Oberon, Titania, Ariel, Umbriel, Margaret.
Pluto: Satellites are Charon, Hydra and Nix who are all related to the Greek god Hades, the equivalent of Pluto.
What Happens Outside the Solar System?
At present extra-solar planets are named after their parent star, with numbers attached. This results in many planet names being strings of letters and numbers. That’s not so bad when you get 4 Ursa Majoris B or Gliese 86b, but it’s bad when its HD169830 b and there are a lot of those.
In response to the lack of decent names, various groups such as Edasich, BlueEarth and Sedna have been coming up with names, most of which once again come from Mythology.
It’s not too bad when 47 Ursa Majoris b gets a name like Nanook, which is Inuit for bear, but surely we could do without Leda for 16 Cygni Bb, or Horus for Gliese 777b. Enough with the gods and goddesses! And the names should be pronounceable – I prefer Upsilon Andromedae c to Sthenelus.
Perhaps these people need to be sent a list of planet names used in Science Fiction to get a wider variety of names that are different but can still be pronounced!
It’s depressing that people are going to name exciting new planets after gods and goddesses. There is a balance of male and female names in the current naming process, unlike in older times when only male names were used . But we need to get more creative with our names until we meet aliens who have their own names for these places!
How to Name a Stellar Body
I recently came across lists of the names astronomers have given to all the new objects found in our solar system by the different probes we have sent out. I also found a list of names given to the new planets we are finding outside our solar system, and other names suggested as replacements. It interested me that the naming of real stellar bodies is quite different to the naming of planets in Science Fiction, so I thought I’d have a look at both to see how they work.
Planets in Science Fiction
One of the major tasks for a science fiction writer is to name their planets. There isn’t quite a formula for this, but there are some bendable rules:
A planet name should sound serious, if not scientific.
There shouldn’t be any stupid names unless the text is a spoof e.g. Crouton in They Came From Outer Space is acceptable for a satire.
Names should preferably be one or two syllables and end in ‘a’, ‘us’ or ‘an’.
Prefixes should be Greek letters or key words like ‘new’.
The name should give some idea about the physical or philosophical nature of the planet.
Details
1. Real names: Some fictional planets are called after real locations:
Real star names like Alpha Centauri (Crusher Joe; Doctor Who The Curse of Peladon; Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri; Lost in Space; Space Patrol 1960; Aldebaran (Buck Rogers: Plot to Kill a City); Ganymede ( Babylon 5: By Any Means Necessary; Mercy Point; Rod Brown of the Rocket Rangers).
Real place names like Bretagne ( McCaffrey: Sassinak); Lost Jerusalem (Xenosaga); Victoria (LeGuin: The Eye of the Heron). Note that these seem to occur in novels rather than in films.
2. Abstract words: Destiny (Blake 7: Mission to Destroy); Fury (Alien 3); Harmony (Maelstrom; Card: The Memory of Earth).
3. Descriptors: Crematoria (Chronicles of Riddick); Frostor (Galaxy High School); Pacifica (Spinrad: A World Between).
4. Greek prefixes: Beta 5 (Blake 7: Gold); Beta 9 (Babylon 5: Between the Darkness and the Light); Delta (Space Patrol 1960); Delta 3 (Doctor who: The Power of Kroll); Delta 5-5 9The Colony).
5. Defining prefixes: New Earth (Doctor Who: Invasion of the Dinosaurs/Dogstar/Babylon 5: The Deconstruction of Falling Stars); New Mecca (Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury); Phantom Planet (Starcrash/ Starblazers/ Film title); Devil Planet (Lensman, film); Beast Planet (Shadow Raiders).
6. Suffixes: Homeworld (Micronauts/Blake 7: The City at the Edge of the World); Rimmerworld (Red Dwarf: Rimmerworld); Oceansphere (Xardion); Sensesphere (Doctor Who: The Sensorites).
7. Prime or Secundus: Gauda Prime (Blake 7: Blake); Salusa Secundus (Dune).
8. Major or Minor: Androzani Minor (Doctor Who: The Caves of Androzani); Saurian Major (Blake 7: time Squad)
9. Endings should be latinate – Arazia (Andromeda: Rose in the Ashes); Gradius (Gradius); Luminas 6 (Space Raiders). However other endings like ‘b’ or ‘k’ are used : Deneb IV (Star Terk: The Next Generation: encounter at Farpoint); Antak (Stargate SG1: the Devil You Know)
10. Organised numbering : Stargate’s system : P2A018 goes to P9Q873 has over 50 planets. But who remembers which is which?
So as long as a planet name fits the basic parameters, anything goes in science fiction. What happens in the real world?
Naming the New Bodies in the Solar System
Since 1973 names have been given to 45 satellites of Jupiter, 43 of Saturn, 22 of Uranus, 11 of Neptune, 3 of Pluto, 1 of Eris and 2 of Haumea. The number of new names keeps changing with new discoveries. The names of these bodies come primarily from Graeco-Roman Mythology, with new names coming from other cultures and Shakespearean plays ( and a poem by Alexander Pope). There is also a numbering system that would make Stargate proud.
Jupiter: These satellites are named after the lovers and favorites of Jupiter and his descendents. These names double up with some asteroids. Examples are: Metis, Adrastea, Amalthea, Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Leda, Himalia , Lysithea, Elara, Ananke, Carme, Pasiphae, Sinope.
Saturn: This planet has ten groups of moons. Some of these are named after Greek Titans, and giants and monsters from other cultures. Phoebe is the only exception.
The shepherd moons: Pan, Daphnis, Atlas, Prometheus, Pandora, Aegaeon, S/2004 S3, S4 and S6.
Co-orbitals: Janus and Epimetheus.
Inner large moons and Alkyonides: Mimas; Methone, Anthe, Pallene, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione.
Trojans: Telesto, Calypso, Helen, Polydeuces and Rhea.
E-ring : Titan, Hyperion, Iapetus. Innuit group: Ijiraq, Kiviuq, Paaliaq, Siarnaq, Targeq.
Norse Group: Aegir, Bergelmir, Bestla, Farabuati, Fenrir, Fornjot, Greip, Hati, Hyrrokkin, Jarnsaxa, Kari, Loge, Mundilfari, Narvi, Phoebe, Skathi, Skoll, Surtur, Suttungr, Thrymr, Ymir and 8 with numbers.
Gallic Group : Albiorix, Bebhionn, Erriapus, Tarvos.
Neptune: These satellites are named after Greek sea gods and goddesses e.g. Triton, Nereid, Thalassa, Despina, Galatea, Larissa, Proteus.
Uranus: Satellites are named after characters in A Midsummer Nights Dream, The Tempest , Much Ado About Nothing, and The Rape of the Lock: Miranda, Oberon, Titania, Ariel, Umbriel, Margaret.
Pluto: Satellites are Charon, Hydra and Nix who are all related to the Greek god Hades, the equivalent of Pluto.
What Happens Outside the Solar System?
At present extra-solar planets are named after their parent star, with numbers attached. This results in many planet names being strings of letters and numbers. That’s not so bad when you get 4 Ursa Majoris B or Gliese 86b, but it’s bad when its HD169830 b and there are a lot of those.
In response to the lack of decent names, various groups such as Edasich, BlueEarth and Sedna have been coming up with names, most of which once again come from Mythology.
It’s not too bad when 47 Ursa Majoris b gets a name like Nanook, which is Inuit for bear, but surely we could do without Leda for 16 Cygni Bb, or Horus for Gliese 777b. Enough with the gods and goddesses! And the names should be pronounceable – I prefer Upsilon Andromedae c to Sthenelus.
Perhaps these people need to be sent a list of planet names used in Science Fiction to get a wider variety of names that are different but can still be pronounced!
It’s depressing that people are going to name exciting new planets after gods and goddesses. There is a balance of male and female names in the current naming process, unlike in older times when only male names were used . But we need to get more creative with our names until we meet aliens who have their own names for these places!
How to Name a Stellar Body
I recently came across lists of the names astronomers have given to all the new objects found in our solar system by the different probes we have sent out. I also found a list of names given to the new planets we are finding outside our solar system, and other names suggested as replacements. It interested me that the naming of real stellar bodies is quite different to the naming of planets in Science Fiction, so I thought I’d have a look at both to see how they work.
Planets in Science Fiction
One of the major tasks for a science fiction writer is to name their planets. There isn’t quite a formula for this, but there are some bendable rules:
A planet name should sound serious, if not scientific.
There shouldn’t be any stupid names unless the text is a spoof e.g. Crouton in They Came From Outer Space is acceptable for a satire.
Names should preferably be one or two syllables and end in ‘a’, ‘us’ or ‘an’.
Prefixes should be Greek letters or key words like ‘new’.
The name should give some idea about the physical or philosophical nature of the planet.
Details
1. Real names: Some fictional planets are called after real locations:
Real star names like Alpha Centauri (Crusher Joe; Doctor Who The Curse of Peladon; Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri; Lost in Space; Space Patrol 1960; Aldebaran (Buck Rogers: Plot to Kill a City); Ganymede ( Babylon 5: By Any Means Necessary; Mercy Point; Rod Brown of the Rocket Rangers).
Real place names like Bretagne ( McCaffrey: Sassinak); Lost Jerusalem (Xenosaga); Victoria (LeGuin: The Eye of the Heron). Note that these seem to occur in novels rather than in films.
2. Abstract words: Destiny (Blake 7: Mission to Destroy); Fury (Alien 3); Harmony (Maelstrom; Card: The Memory of Earth).
3. Descriptors: Crematoria (Chronicles of Riddick); Frostor (Galaxy High School); Pacifica (Spinrad: A World Between).
4. Greek prefixes: Beta 5 (Blake 7: Gold); Beta 9 (Babylon 5: Between the Darkness and the Light); Delta (Space Patrol 1960); Delta 3 (Doctor who: The Power of Kroll); Delta 5-5 9The Colony).
5. Defining prefixes: New Earth (Doctor Who: Invasion of the Dinosaurs/Dogstar/Babylon 5: The Deconstruction of Falling Stars); New Mecca (Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury); Phantom Planet (Starcrash/ Starblazers/ Film title); Devil Planet (Lensman, film); Beast Planet (Shadow Raiders).
6. Suffixes: Homeworld (Micronauts/Blake 7: The City at the Edge of the World); Rimmerworld (Red Dwarf: Rimmerworld); Oceansphere (Xardion); Sensesphere (Doctor Who: The Sensorites).
7. Prime or Secundus: Gauda Prime (Blake 7: Blake); Salusa Secundus (Dune).
8. Major or Minor: Androzani Minor (Doctor Who: The Caves of Androzani); Saurian Major (Blake 7: time Squad)
9. Endings should be latinate – Arazia (Andromeda: Rose in the Ashes); Gradius (Gradius); Luminas 6 (Space Raiders). However other endings like ‘b’ or ‘k’ are used : Deneb IV (Star Terk: The Next Generation: encounter at Farpoint); Antak (Stargate SG1: the Devil You Know)
10. Organised numbering : Stargate’s system : P2A018 goes to P9Q873 has over 50 planets. But who remembers which is which?
So as long as a planet name fits the basic parameters, anything goes in science fiction. What happens in the real world?
Naming the New Bodies in the Solar System
Since 1973 names have been given to 45 satellites of Jupiter, 43 of Saturn, 22 of Uranus, 11 of Neptune, 3 of Pluto, 1 of Eris and 2 of Haumea. The number of new names keeps changing with new discoveries. The names of these bodies come primarily from Graeco-Roman Mythology, with new names coming from other cultures and Shakespearean plays ( and a poem by Alexander Pope). There is also a numbering system that would make Stargate proud.
Jupiter: These satellites are named after the lovers and favorites of Jupiter and his descendents. These names double up with some asteroids. Examples are: Metis, Adrastea, Amalthea, Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Leda, Himalia , Lysithea, Elara, Ananke, Carme, Pasiphae, Sinope.
Saturn: This planet has ten groups of moons. Some of these are named after Greek Titans, and giants and monsters from other cultures. Phoebe is the only exception.
The shepherd moons: Pan, Daphnis, Atlas, Prometheus, Pandora, Aegaeon, S/2004 S3, S4 and S6.
Co-orbitals: Janus and Epimetheus.
Inner large moons and Alkyonides: Mimas; Methone, Anthe, Pallene, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione.
Trojans: Telesto, Calypso, Helen, Polydeuces and Rhea.
E-ring : Titan, Hyperion, Iapetus. Innuit group: Ijiraq, Kiviuq, Paaliaq, Siarnaq, Targeq.
Norse Group: Aegir, Bergelmir, Bestla, Farabuati, Fenrir, Fornjot, Greip, Hati, Hyrrokkin, Jarnsaxa, Kari, Loge, Mundilfari, Narvi, Phoebe, Skathi, Skoll, Surtur, Suttungr, Thrymr, Ymir and 8 with numbers.
Gallic Group : Albiorix, Bebhionn, Erriapus, Tarvos.
Neptune: These satellites are named after Greek sea gods and goddesses e.g. Triton, Nereid, Thalassa, Despina, Galatea, Larissa, Proteus.
Uranus: Satellites are named after characters in A Midsummer Nights Dream, The Tempest , Much Ado About Nothing, and The Rape of the Lock: Miranda, Oberon, Titania, Ariel, Umbriel, Margaret.
Pluto: Satellites are Charon, Hydra and Nix who are all related to the Greek god Hades, the equivalent of Pluto.
What Happens Outside the Solar System?
At present extra-solar planets are named after their parent star, with numbers attached. This results in many planet names being strings of letters and numbers. That’s not so bad when you get 4 Ursa Majoris B or Gliese 86b, but it’s bad when its HD169830 b and there are a lot of those.
In response to the lack of decent names, various groups such as Edasich, BlueEarth and Sedna have been coming up with names, most of which once again come from Mythology.
It’s not too bad when 47 Ursa Majoris b gets a name like Nanook, which is Inuit for bear, but surely we could do without Leda for 16 Cygni Bb, or Horus for Gliese 777b. Enough with the gods and goddesses! And the names should be pronounceable – I prefer Upsilon Andromedae c to Sthenelus.
Perhaps these people need to be sent a list of planet names used in Science Fiction to get a wider variety of names that are different but can still be pronounced!
It’s depressing that people are going to name exciting new planets after gods and goddesses. There is a balance of male and female names in the current naming process, unlike in older times when only male names were used . But we need to get more creative with our names until we meet aliens who have their own names for these places!
How to Name a Stellar Body
I recently came across lists of the names astronomers have given to all the new objects found in our solar system by the different probes we have sent out. I also found a list of names given to the new planets we are finding outside our solar system, and other names suggested as replacements. It interested me that the naming of real stellar bodies is quite different to the naming of planets in Science Fiction, so I thought I’d have a look at both to see how they work.
Planets in Science Fiction
One of the major tasks for a science fiction writer is to name their planets. There isn’t quite a formula for this, but there are some bendable rules:
A planet name should sound serious, if not scientific.
There shouldn’t be any stupid names unless the text is a spoof e.g. Crouton in They Came From Outer Space is acceptable for a satire.
Names should preferably be one or two syllables and end in ‘a’, ‘us’ or ‘an’.
Prefixes should be Greek letters or key words like ‘new’.
The name should give some idea about the physical or philosophical nature of the planet.
Details
1. Real names: Some fictional planets are called after real locations:
Real star names like Alpha Centauri (Crusher Joe; Doctor Who The Curse of Peladon; Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri; Lost in Space; Space Patrol 1960; Aldebaran (Buck Rogers: Plot to Kill a City); Ganymede ( Babylon 5: By Any Means Necessary; Mercy Point; Rod Brown of the Rocket Rangers).
Real place names like Bretagne ( McCaffrey: Sassinak); Lost Jerusalem (Xenosaga); Victoria (LeGuin: The Eye of the Heron). Note that these seem to occur in novels rather than in films.
2. Abstract words: Destiny (Blake 7: Mission to Destroy); Fury (Alien 3); Harmony (Maelstrom; Card: The Memory of Earth).
3. Descriptors: Crematoria (Chronicles of Riddick); Frostor (Galaxy High School); Pacifica (Spinrad: A World Between).
4. Greek prefixes: Beta 5 (Blake 7: Gold); Beta 9 (Babylon 5: Between the Darkness and the Light); Delta (Space Patrol 1960); Delta 3 (Doctor who: The Power of Kroll); Delta 5-5 9The Colony).
5. Defining prefixes: New Earth (Doctor Who: Invasion of the Dinosaurs/Dogstar/Babylon 5: The Deconstruction of Falling Stars); New Mecca (Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury); Phantom Planet (Starcrash/ Starblazers/ Film title); Devil Planet (Lensman, film); Beast Planet (Shadow Raiders).
6. Suffixes: Homeworld (Micronauts/Blake 7: The City at the Edge of the World); Rimmerworld (Red Dwarf: Rimmerworld); Oceansphere (Xardion); Sensesphere (Doctor Who: The Sensorites).
7. Prime or Secundus: Gauda Prime (Blake 7: Blake); Salusa Secundus (Dune).
8. Major or Minor: Androzani Minor (Doctor Who: The Caves of Androzani); Saurian Major (Blake 7: time Squad)
9. Endings should be latinate – Arazia (Andromeda: Rose in the Ashes); Gradius (Gradius); Luminas 6 (Space Raiders). However other endings like ‘b’ or ‘k’ are used : Deneb IV (Star Terk: The Next Generation: encounter at Farpoint); Antak (Stargate SG1: the Devil You Know)
10. Organised numbering : Stargate’s system : P2A018 goes to P9Q873 has over 50 planets. But who remembers which is which?
So as long as a planet name fits the basic parameters, anything goes in science fiction. What happens in the real world?
Naming the New Bodies in the Solar System
Since 1973 names have been given to 45 satellites of Jupiter, 43 of Saturn, 22 of Uranus, 11 of Neptune, 3 of Pluto, 1 of Eris and 2 of Haumea. The number of new names keeps changing with new discoveries. The names of these bodies come primarily from Graeco-Roman Mythology, with new names coming from other cultures and Shakespearean plays ( and a poem by Alexander Pope). There is also a numbering system that would make Stargate proud.
Jupiter: These satellites are named after the lovers and favorites of Jupiter and his descendents. These names double up with some asteroids. Examples are: Metis, Adrastea, Amalthea, Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Leda, Himalia , Lysithea, Elara, Ananke, Carme, Pasiphae, Sinope.
Saturn: This planet has ten groups of moons. Some of these are named after Greek Titans, and giants and monsters from other cultures. Phoebe is the only exception.
The shepherd moons: Pan, Daphnis, Atlas, Prometheus, Pandora, Aegaeon, S/2004 S3, S4 and S6.
Co-orbitals: Janus and Epimetheus.
Inner large moons and Alkyonides: Mimas; Methone, Anthe, Pallene, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione.
Trojans: Telesto, Calypso, Helen, Polydeuces and Rhea.
E-ring : Titan, Hyperion, Iapetus. Innuit group: Ijiraq, Kiviuq, Paaliaq, Siarnaq, Targeq.
Norse Group: Aegir, Bergelmir, Bestla, Farabuati, Fenrir, Fornjot, Greip, Hati, Hyrrokkin, Jarnsaxa, Kari, Loge, Mundilfari, Narvi, Phoebe, Skathi, Skoll, Surtur, Suttungr, Thrymr, Ymir and 8 with numbers.
Gallic Group : Albiorix, Bebhionn, Erriapus, Tarvos.
Neptune: These satellites are named after Greek sea gods and goddesses e.g. Triton, Nereid, Thalassa, Despina, Galatea, Larissa, Proteus.
Uranus: Satellites are named after characters in A Midsummer Nights Dream, The Tempest , Much Ado About Nothing, and The Rape of the Lock: Miranda, Oberon, Titania, Ariel, Umbriel, Margaret.
Pluto: Satellites are Charon, Hydra and Nix who are all related to the Greek god Hades, the equivalent of Pluto.
What Happens Outside the Solar System?
At present extra-solar planets are named after their parent star, with numbers attached. This results in many planet names being strings of letters and numbers. That’s not so bad when you get 4 Ursa Majoris B or Gliese 86b, but it’s bad when its HD169830 b and there are a lot of those.
In response to the lack of decent names, various groups such as Edasich, BlueEarth and Sedna have been coming up with names, most of which once again come from Mythology.
It’s not too bad when 47 Ursa Majoris b gets a name like Nanook, which is Inuit for bear, but surely we could do without Leda for 16 Cygni Bb, or Horus for Gliese 777b. Enough with the gods and goddesses! And the names should be pronounceable – I prefer Upsilon Andromedae c to Sthenelus.
Perhaps these people need to be sent a list of planet names used in Science Fiction to get a wider variety of names that are different but can still be pronounced!
It’s depressing that people are going to name exciting new planets after gods and goddesses. There is a balance of male and female names in the current naming process, unlike in older times when only male names were used . But we need to get more creative with our names until we meet aliens who have their own names for these places!
How to Name a Stellar Body
I recently came across lists of the names astronomers have given to all the new objects found in our solar system by the different probes we have sent out. I also found a list of names given to the new planets we are finding outside our solar system, and other names suggested as replacements. It interested me that the naming of real stellar bodies is quite different to the naming of planets in Science Fiction, so I thought I’d have a look at both to see how they work.
Planets in Science Fiction
One of the major tasks for a science fiction writer is to name their planets. There isn’t quite a formula for this, but there are some bendable rules:
A planet name should sound serious, if not scientific.
There shouldn’t be any stupid names unless the text is a spoof e.g. Crouton in They Came From Outer Space is acceptable for a satire.
Names should preferably be one or two syllables and end in ‘a’, ‘us’ or ‘an’.
Prefixes should be Greek letters or key words like ‘new’.
The name should give some idea about the physical or philosophical nature of the planet.
Details
1. Real names: Some fictional planets are called after real locations:
Real star names like Alpha Centauri (Crusher Joe; Doctor Who The Curse of Peladon; Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri; Lost in Space; Space Patrol 1960; Aldebaran (Buck Rogers: Plot to Kill a City); Ganymede ( Babylon 5: By Any Means Necessary; Mercy Point; Rod Brown of the Rocket Rangers).
Real place names like Bretagne ( McCaffrey: Sassinak); Lost Jerusalem (Xenosaga); Victoria (LeGuin: The Eye of the Heron). Note that these seem to occur in novels rather than in films.
2. Abstract words: Destiny (Blake 7: Mission to Destroy); Fury (Alien 3); Harmony (Maelstrom; Card: The Memory of Earth).
3. Descriptors: Crematoria (Chronicles of Riddick); Frostor (Galaxy High School); Pacifica (Spinrad: A World Between).
4. Greek prefixes: Beta 5 (Blake 7: Gold); Beta 9 (Babylon 5: Between the Darkness and the Light); Delta (Space Patrol 1960); Delta 3 (Doctor who: The Power of Kroll); Delta 5-5 9The Colony).
5. Defining prefixes: New Earth (Doctor Who: Invasion of the Dinosaurs/Dogstar/Babylon 5: The Deconstruction of Falling Stars); New Mecca (Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury); Phantom Planet (Starcrash/ Starblazers/ Film title); Devil Planet (Lensman, film); Beast Planet (Shadow Raiders).
6. Suffixes: Homeworld (Micronauts/Blake 7: The City at the Edge of the World); Rimmerworld (Red Dwarf: Rimmerworld); Oceansphere (Xardion); Sensesphere (Doctor Who: The Sensorites).
7. Prime or Secundus: Gauda Prime (Blake 7: Blake); Salusa Secundus (Dune).
8. Major or Minor: Androzani Minor (Doctor Who: The Caves of Androzani); Saurian Major (Blake 7: time Squad)
9. Endings should be latinate – Arazia (Andromeda: Rose in the Ashes); Gradius (Gradius); Luminas 6 (Space Raiders). However other endings like ‘b’ or ‘k’ are used : Deneb IV (Star Terk: The Next Generation: encounter at Farpoint); Antak (Stargate SG1: the Devil You Know)
10. Organised numbering : Stargate’s system : P2A018 goes to P9Q873 has over 50 planets. But who remembers which is which?
So as long as a planet name fits the basic parameters, anything goes in science fiction. What happens in the real world?
Naming the New Bodies in the Solar System
Since 1973 names have been given to 45 satellites of Jupiter, 43 of Saturn, 22 of Uranus, 11 of Neptune, 3 of Pluto, 1 of Eris and 2 of Haumea. The number of new names keeps changing with new discoveries. The names of these bodies come primarily from Graeco-Roman Mythology, with new names coming from other cultures and Shakespearean plays ( and a poem by Alexander Pope). There is also a numbering system that would make Stargate proud.
Jupiter: These satellites are named after the lovers and favorites of Jupiter and his descendents. These names double up with some asteroids. Examples are: Metis, Adrastea, Amalthea, Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Leda, Himalia , Lysithea, Elara, Ananke, Carme, Pasiphae, Sinope.
Saturn: This planet has ten groups of moons. Some of these are named after Greek Titans, and giants and monsters from other cultures. Phoebe is the only exception.
The shepherd moons: Pan, Daphnis, Atlas, Prometheus, Pandora, Aegaeon, S/2004 S3, S4 and S6.
Co-orbitals: Janus and Epimetheus.
Inner large moons and Alkyonides: Mimas; Methone, Anthe, Pallene, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione.
Trojans: Telesto, Calypso, Helen, Polydeuces and Rhea.
E-ring : Titan, Hyperion, Iapetus. Innuit group: Ijiraq, Kiviuq, Paaliaq, Siarnaq, Targeq.
Norse Group: Aegir, Bergelmir, Bestla, Farabuati, Fenrir, Fornjot, Greip, Hati, Hyrrokkin, Jarnsaxa, Kari, Loge, Mundilfari, Narvi, Phoebe, Skathi, Skoll, Surtur, Suttungr, Thrymr, Ymir and 8 with numbers.
Gallic Group : Albiorix, Bebhionn, Erriapus, Tarvos.
Neptune: These satellites are named after Greek sea gods and goddesses e.g. Triton, Nereid, Thalassa, Despina, Galatea, Larissa, Proteus.
Uranus: Satellites are named after characters in A Midsummer Nights Dream, The Tempest , Much Ado About Nothing, and The Rape of the Lock: Miranda, Oberon, Titania, Ariel, Umbriel, Margaret.
Pluto: Satellites are Charon, Hydra and Nix who are all related to the Greek god Hades, the equivalent of Pluto.
What Happens Outside the Solar System?
At present extra-solar planets are named after their parent star, with numbers attached. This results in many planet names being strings of letters and numbers. That’s not so bad when you get 4 Ursa Majoris B or Gliese 86b, but it’s bad when its HD169830 b and there are a lot of those.
In response to the lack of decent names, various groups such as Edasich, BlueEarth and Sedna have been coming up with names, most of which once again come from Mythology.
It’s not too bad when 47 Ursa Majoris b gets a name like Nanook, which is Inuit for bear, but surely we could do without Leda for 16 Cygni Bb, or Horus for Gliese 777b. Enough with the gods and goddesses! And the names should be pronounceable – I prefer Upsilon Andromedae c to Sthenelus.
Perhaps these people need to be sent a list of planet names used in Science Fiction to get a wider variety of names that are different but can still be pronounced!
It’s depressing that people are going to name exciting new planets after gods and goddesses. There is a balance of male and female names in the current naming process, unlike in older times when only male names were used . But we need to get more creative with our names until we meet aliens who have their own names for these places!
How to Name a Stellar Body
I recently came across lists of the names astronomers have given to all the new objects found in our solar system by the different probes we have sent out. I also found a list of names given to the new planets we are finding outside our solar system, and other names suggested as replacements. It interested me that the naming of real stellar bodies is quite different to the naming of planets in Science Fiction, so I thought I’d have a look at both to see how they work.
Planets in Science Fiction
One of the major tasks for a science fiction writer is to name their planets. There isn’t quite a formula for this, but there are some bendable rules:
A planet name should sound serious, if not scientific.
There shouldn’t be any stupid names unless the text is a spoof e.g. Crouton in They Came From Outer Space is acceptable for a satire.
Names should preferably be one or two syllables and end in ‘a’, ‘us’ or ‘an’.
Prefixes should be Greek letters or key words like ‘new’.
The name should give some idea about the physical or philosophical nature of the planet.
Details
1. Real names: Some fictional planets are called after real locations:
Real star names like Alpha Centauri (Crusher Joe; Doctor Who The Curse of Peladon; Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri; Lost in Space; Space Patrol 1960; Aldebaran (Buck Rogers: Plot to Kill a City); Ganymede ( Babylon 5: By Any Means Necessary; Mercy Point; Rod Brown of the Rocket Rangers).
Real place names like Bretagne ( McCaffrey: Sassinak); Lost Jerusalem (Xenosaga); Victoria (LeGuin: The Eye of the Heron). Note that these seem to occur in novels rather than in films.
2. Abstract words: Destiny (Blake 7: Mission to Destroy); Fury (Alien 3); Harmony (Maelstrom; Card: The Memory of Earth).
3. Descriptors: Crematoria (Chronicles of Riddick); Frostor (Galaxy High School); Pacifica (Spinrad: A World Between).
4. Greek prefixes: Beta 5 (Blake 7: Gold); Beta 9 (Babylon 5: Between the Darkness and the Light); Delta (Space Patrol 1960); Delta 3 (Doctor who: The Power of Kroll); Delta 5-5 9The Colony).
5. Defining prefixes: New Earth (Doctor Who: Invasion of the Dinosaurs/Dogstar/Babylon 5: The Deconstruction of Falling Stars); New Mecca (Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury); Phantom Planet (Starcrash/ Starblazers/ Film title); Devil Planet (Lensman, film); Beast Planet (Shadow Raiders).
6. Suffixes: Homeworld (Micronauts/Blake 7: The City at the Edge of the World); Rimmerworld (Red Dwarf: Rimmerworld); Oceansphere (Xardion); Sensesphere (Doctor Who: The Sensorites).
7. Prime or Secundus: Gauda Prime (Blake 7: Blake); Salusa Secundus (Dune).
8. Major or Minor: Androzani Minor (Doctor Who: The Caves of Androzani); Saurian Major (Blake 7: time Squad)
9. Endings should be latinate – Arazia (Andromeda: Rose in the Ashes); Gradius (Gradius); Luminas 6 (Space Raiders). However other endings like ‘b’ or ‘k’ are used : Deneb IV (Star Terk: The Next Generation: encounter at Farpoint); Antak (Stargate SG1: the Devil You Know)
10. Organised numbering : Stargate’s system : P2A018 goes to P9Q873 has over 50 planets. But who remembers which is which?
So as long as a planet name fits the basic parameters, anything goes in science fiction. What happens in the real world?
Naming the New Bodies in the Solar System
Since 1973 names have been given to 45 satellites of Jupiter, 43 of Saturn, 22 of Uranus, 11 of Neptune, 3 of Pluto, 1 of Eris and 2 of Haumea. The number of new names keeps changing with new discoveries. The names of these bodies come primarily from Graeco-Roman Mythology, with new names coming from other cultures and Shakespearean plays ( and a poem by Alexander Pope). There is also a numbering system that would make Stargate proud.
Jupiter: These satellites are named after the lovers and favorites of Jupiter and his descendents. These names double up with some asteroids. Examples are: Metis, Adrastea, Amalthea, Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Leda, Himalia , Lysithea, Elara, Ananke, Carme, Pasiphae, Sinope.
Saturn: This planet has ten groups of moons. Some of these are named after Greek Titans, and giants and monsters from other cultures. Phoebe is the only exception.
The shepherd moons: Pan, Daphnis, Atlas, Prometheus, Pandora, Aegaeon, S/2004 S3, S4 and S6.
Co-orbitals: Janus and Epimetheus.
Inner large moons and Alkyonides: Mimas; Methone, Anthe, Pallene, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione.
Trojans: Telesto, Calypso, Helen, Polydeuces and Rhea.
E-ring : Titan, Hyperion, Iapetus. Innuit group: Ijiraq, Kiviuq, Paaliaq, Siarnaq, Targeq.
Norse Group: Aegir, Bergelmir, Bestla, Farabuati, Fenrir, Fornjot, Greip, Hati, Hyrrokkin, Jarnsaxa, Kari, Loge, Mundilfari, Narvi, Phoebe, Skathi, Skoll, Surtur, Suttungr, Thrymr, Ymir and 8 with numbers.
Gallic Group : Albiorix, Bebhionn, Erriapus, Tarvos.
Neptune: These satellites are named after Greek sea gods and goddesses e.g. Triton, Nereid, Thalassa, Despina, Galatea, Larissa, Proteus.
Uranus: Satellites are named after characters in A Midsummer Nights Dream, The Tempest , Much Ado About Nothing, and The Rape of the Lock: Miranda, Oberon, Titania, Ariel, Umbriel, Margaret.
Pluto: Satellites are Charon, Hydra and Nix who are all related to the Greek god Hades, the equivalent of Pluto.
What Happens Outside the Solar System?
At present extra-solar planets are named after their parent star, with numbers attached. This results in many planet names being strings of letters and numbers. That’s not so bad when you get 4 Ursa Majoris B or Gliese 86b, but it’s bad when its HD169830 b and there are a lot of those.
In response to the lack of decent names, various groups such as Edasich, BlueEarth and Sedna have been coming up with names, most of which once again come from Mythology.
It’s not too bad when 47 Ursa Majoris b gets a name like Nanook, which is Inuit for bear, but surely we could do without Leda for 16 Cygni Bb, or Horus for Gliese 777b. Enough with the gods and goddesses! And the names should be pronounceable – I prefer Upsilon Andromedae c to Sthenelus.
Perhaps these people need to be sent a list of planet names used in Science Fiction to get a wider variety of names that are different but can still be pronounced!
It’s depressing that people are going to name exciting new planets after gods and goddesses. There is a balance of male and female names in the current naming process, unlike in older times when only male names were used . But we need to get more creative with our names until we meet aliens who have their own names for these places!
How to Name a Stellar Body
I recently came across lists of the names astronomers have given to all the new objects found in our solar system by the different probes we have sent out. I also found a list of names given to the new planets we are finding outside our solar system, and other names suggested as replacements. It interested me that the naming of real stellar bodies is quite different to the naming of planets in Science Fiction, so I thought I’d have a look at both to see how they work.
Planets in Science Fiction
One of the major tasks for a science fiction writer is to name their planets. There isn’t quite a formula for this, but there are some bendable rules:
A planet name should sound serious, if not scientific.
There shouldn’t be any stupid names unless the text is a spoof e.g. Crouton in They Came From Outer Space is acceptable for a satire.
Names should preferably be one or two syllables and end in ‘a’, ‘us’ or ‘an’.
Prefixes should be Greek letters or key words like ‘new’.
The name should give some idea about the physical or philosophical nature of the planet.
Details
1. Real names: Some fictional planets are called after real locations:
Real star names like Alpha Centauri (Crusher Joe; Doctor Who The Curse of Peladon; Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri; Lost in Space; Space Patrol 1960; Aldebaran (Buck Rogers: Plot to Kill a City); Ganymede ( Babylon 5: By Any Means Necessary; Mercy Point; Rod Brown of the Rocket Rangers).
Real place names like Bretagne ( McCaffrey: Sassinak); Lost Jerusalem (Xenosaga); Victoria (LeGuin: The Eye of the Heron). Note that these seem to occur in novels rather than in films.
2. Abstract words: Destiny (Blake 7: Mission to Destroy); Fury (Alien 3); Harmony (Maelstrom; Card: The Memory of Earth).
3. Descriptors: Crematoria (Chronicles of Riddick); Frostor (Galaxy High School); Pacifica (Spinrad: A World Between).
4. Greek prefixes: Beta 5 (Blake 7: Gold); Beta 9 (Babylon 5: Between the Darkness and the Light); Delta (Space Patrol 1960); Delta 3 (Doctor who: The Power of Kroll); Delta 5-5 9The Colony).
5. Defining prefixes: New Earth (Doctor Who: Invasion of the Dinosaurs/Dogstar/Babylon 5: The Deconstruction of Falling Stars); New Mecca (Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury); Phantom Planet (Starcrash/ Starblazers/ Film title); Devil Planet (Lensman, film); Beast Planet (Shadow Raiders).
6. Suffixes: Homeworld (Micronauts/Blake 7: The City at the Edge of the World); Rimmerworld (Red Dwarf: Rimmerworld); Oceansphere (Xardion); Sensesphere (Doctor Who: The Sensorites).
7. Prime or Secundus: Gauda Prime (Blake 7: Blake); Salusa Secundus (Dune).
8. Major or Minor: Androzani Minor (Doctor Who: The Caves of Androzani); Saurian Major (Blake 7: time Squad)
9. Endings should be latinate – Arazia (Andromeda: Rose in the Ashes); Gradius (Gradius); Luminas 6 (Space Raiders). However other endings like ‘b’ or ‘k’ are used : Deneb IV (Star Terk: The Next Generation: encounter at Farpoint); Antak (Stargate SG1: the Devil You Know)
10. Organised numbering : Stargate’s system : P2A018 goes to P9Q873 has over 50 planets. But who remembers which is which?
So as long as a planet name fits the basic parameters, anything goes in science fiction. What happens in the real world?
Naming the New Bodies in the Solar System
Since 1973 names have been given to 45 satellites of Jupiter, 43 of Saturn, 22 of Uranus, 11 of Neptune, 3 of Pluto, 1 of Eris and 2 of Haumea. The number of new names keeps changing with new discoveries. The names of these bodies come primarily from Graeco-Roman Mythology, with new names coming from other cultures and Shakespearean plays ( and a poem by Alexander Pope). There is also a numbering system that would make Stargate proud.
Jupiter: These satellites are named after the lovers and favorites of Jupiter and his descendents. These names double up with some asteroids. Examples are: Metis, Adrastea, Amalthea, Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Leda, Himalia , Lysithea, Elara, Ananke, Carme, Pasiphae, Sinope.
Saturn: This planet has ten groups of moons. Some of these are named after Greek Titans, and giants and monsters from other cultures. Phoebe is the only exception.
The shepherd moons: Pan, Daphnis, Atlas, Prometheus, Pandora, Aegaeon, S/2004 S3, S4 and S6.
Co-orbitals: Janus and Epimetheus.
Inner large moons and Alkyonides: Mimas; Methone, Anthe, Pallene, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione.
Trojans: Telesto, Calypso, Helen, Polydeuces and Rhea.
E-ring : Titan, Hyperion, Iapetus. Innuit group: Ijiraq, Kiviuq, Paaliaq, Siarnaq, Targeq.
Norse Group: Aegir, Bergelmir, Bestla, Farabuati, Fenrir, Fornjot, Greip, Hati, Hyrrokkin, Jarnsaxa, Kari, Loge, Mundilfari, Narvi, Phoebe, Skathi, Skoll, Surtur, Suttungr, Thrymr, Ymir and 8 with numbers.
Gallic Group : Albiorix, Bebhionn, Erriapus, Tarvos.
Neptune: These satellites are named after Greek sea gods and goddesses e.g. Triton, Nereid, Thalassa, Despina, Galatea, Larissa, Proteus.
Uranus: Satellites are named after characters in A Midsummer Nights Dream, The Tempest , Much Ado About Nothing, and The Rape of the Lock: Miranda, Oberon, Titania, Ariel, Umbriel, Margaret.
Pluto: Satellites are Charon, Hydra and Nix who are all related to the Greek god Hades, the equivalent of Pluto.
What Happens Outside the Solar System?
At present extra-solar planets are named after their parent star, with numbers attached. This results in many planet names being strings of letters and numbers. That’s not so bad when you get 4 Ursa Majoris B or Gliese 86b, but it’s bad when its HD169830 b and there are a lot of those.
In response to the lack of decent names, various groups such as Edasich, BlueEarth and Sedna have been coming up with names, most of which once again come from Mythology.
It’s not too bad when 47 Ursa Majoris b gets a name like Nanook, which is Inuit for bear, but surely we could do without Leda for 16 Cygni Bb, or Horus for Gliese 777b. Enough with the gods and goddesses! And the names should be pronounceable – I prefer Upsilon Andromedae c to Sthenelus.
Perhaps these people need to be sent a list of planet names used in Science Fiction to get a wider variety of names that are different but can still be pronounced!
It’s depressing that people are going to name exciting new planets after gods and goddesses. There is a balance of male and female names in the current naming process, unlike in older times when only male names were used . But we need to get more creative with our names until we meet aliens who have their own names for these places!
How to Name a Stellar Body
I recently came across lists of the names astronomers have given to all the new objects found in our solar system by the different probes we have sent out. I also found a list of names given to the new planets we are finding outside our solar system, and other names suggested as replacements. It interested me that the naming of real stellar bodies is quite different to the naming of planets in Science Fiction, so I thought I’d have a look at both to see how they work.
Planets in Science Fiction
One of the major tasks for a science fiction writer is to name their planets. There isn’t quite a formula for this, but there are some bendable rules:
A planet name should sound serious, if not scientific.
There shouldn’t be any stupid names unless the text is a spoof e.g. Crouton in They Came From Outer Space is acceptable for a satire.
Names should preferably be one or two syllables and end in ‘a’, ‘us’ or ‘an’.
Prefixes should be Greek letters or key words like ‘new’.
The name should give some idea about the physical or philosophical nature of the planet.
Details
1. Real names: Some fictional planets are called after real locations:
Real star names like Alpha Centauri (Crusher Joe; Doctor Who The Curse of Peladon; Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri; Lost in Space; Space Patrol 1960; Aldebaran (Buck Rogers: Plot to Kill a City); Ganymede ( Babylon 5: By Any Means Necessary; Mercy Point; Rod Brown of the Rocket Rangers).
Real place names like Bretagne ( McCaffrey: Sassinak); Lost Jerusalem (Xenosaga); Victoria (LeGuin: The Eye of the Heron). Note that these seem to occur in novels rather than in films.
2. Abstract words: Destiny (Blake 7: Mission to Destroy); Fury (Alien 3); Harmony (Maelstrom; Card: The Memory of Earth).
3. Descriptors: Crematoria (Chronicles of Riddick); Frostor (Galaxy High School); Pacifica (Spinrad: A World Between).
4. Greek prefixes: Beta 5 (Blake 7: Gold); Beta 9 (Babylon 5: Between the Darkness and the Light); Delta (Space Patrol 1960); Delta 3 (Doctor who: The Power of Kroll); Delta 5-5 9The Colony).
5. Defining prefixes: New Earth (Doctor Who: Invasion of the Dinosaurs/Dogstar/Babylon 5: The Deconstruction of Falling Stars); New Mecca (Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury); Phantom Planet (Starcrash/ Starblazers/ Film title); Devil Planet (Lensman, film); Beast Planet (Shadow Raiders).
6. Suffixes: Homeworld (Micronauts/Blake 7: The City at the Edge of the World); Rimmerworld (Red Dwarf: Rimmerworld); Oceansphere (Xardion); Sensesphere (Doctor Who: The Sensorites).
7. Prime or Secundus: Gauda Prime (Blake 7: Blake); Salusa Secundus (Dune).
8. Major or Minor: Androzani Minor (Doctor Who: The Caves of Androzani); Saurian Major (Blake 7: time Squad)
9. Endings should be latinate – Arazia (Andromeda: Rose in the Ashes); Gradius (Gradius); Luminas 6 (Space Raiders). However other endings like ‘b’ or ‘k’ are used : Deneb IV (Star Terk: The Next Generation: encounter at Farpoint); Antak (Stargate SG1: the Devil You Know)
10. Organised numbering : Stargate’s system : P2A018 goes to P9Q873 has over 50 planets. But who remembers which is which?
So as long as a planet name fits the basic parameters, anything goes in science fiction. What happens in the real world?
Naming the New Bodies in the Solar System
Since 1973 names have been given to 45 satellites of Jupiter, 43 of Saturn, 22 of Uranus, 11 of Neptune, 3 of Pluto, 1 of Eris and 2 of Haumea. The number of new names keeps changing with new discoveries. The names of these bodies come primarily from Graeco-Roman Mythology, with new names coming from other cultures and Shakespearean plays ( and a poem by Alexander Pope). There is also a numbering system that would make Stargate proud.
Jupiter: These satellites are named after the lovers and favorites of Jupiter and his descendents. These names double up with some asteroids. Examples are: Metis, Adrastea, Amalthea, Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Leda, Himalia , Lysithea, Elara, Ananke, Carme, Pasiphae, Sinope.
Saturn: This planet has ten groups of moons. Some of these are named after Greek Titans, and giants and monsters from other cultures. Phoebe is the only exception.
The shepherd moons: Pan, Daphnis, Atlas, Prometheus, Pandora, Aegaeon, S/2004 S3, S4 and S6.
Co-orbitals: Janus and Epimetheus.
Inner large moons and Alkyonides: Mimas; Methone, Anthe, Pallene, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione.
Trojans: Telesto, Calypso, Helen, Polydeuces and Rhea.
E-ring : Titan, Hyperion, Iapetus. Innuit group: Ijiraq, Kiviuq, Paaliaq, Siarnaq, Targeq.
Norse Group: Aegir, Bergelmir, Bestla, Farabuati, Fenrir, Fornjot, Greip, Hati, Hyrrokkin, Jarnsaxa, Kari, Loge, Mundilfari, Narvi, Phoebe, Skathi, Skoll, Surtur, Suttungr, Thrymr, Ymir and 8 with numbers.
Gallic Group : Albiorix, Bebhionn, Erriapus, Tarvos.
Neptune: These satellites are named after Greek sea gods and goddesses e.g. Triton, Nereid, Thalassa, Despina, Galatea, Larissa, Proteus.
Uranus: Satellites are named after characters in A Midsummer Nights Dream, The Tempest , Much Ado About Nothing, and The Rape of the Lock: Miranda, Oberon, Titania, Ariel, Umbriel, Margaret.
Pluto: Satellites are Charon, Hydra and Nix who are all related to the Greek god Hades, the equivalent of Pluto.
What Happens Outside the Solar System?
At present extra-solar planets are named after their parent star, with numbers attached. This results in many planet names being strings of letters and numbers. That’s not so bad when you get 4 Ursa Majoris B or Gliese 86b, but it’s bad when its HD169830 b and there are a lot of those.
In response to the lack of decent names, various groups such as Edasich, BlueEarth and Sedna have been coming up with names, most of which once again come from Mythology.
It’s not too bad when 47 Ursa Majoris b gets a name like Nanook, which is Inuit for bear, but surely we could do without Leda for 16 Cygni Bb, or Horus for Gliese 777b. Enough with the gods and goddesses! And the names should be pronounceable – I prefer Upsilon Andromedae c to Sthenelus.
Perhaps these people need to be sent a list of planet names used in Science Fiction to get a wider variety of names that are different but can still be pronounced!
It’s depressing that people are going to name exciting new planets after gods and goddesses. There is a balance of male and female names in the current naming process, unlike in older times when only male names were used . But we need to get more creative with our names until we meet aliens who have their own names for these places!
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Working my way through your blog. This post has the same information repeated 8 or 9 times.
ReplyDeleteYou definitely have a different approach to blogging than I've seen. They feel more like essays than blog entries. It's obvious there is a lot of thought and research behind it!