IAU names Pluto's two new moons
Pluto's two newly discovered moons- smaller siblings to Charon- have been named Nix and Hydra.
The IAU (International Astronomical Union) is supposed to decide whether or not Pluto stays a planet, and Goofy becomes one, late this summer. Because of their composition and orbital eccentricities, the status of our ninth planet and what may possibly be our tenth is currently a subject of some controversy among astronomers.
One thing's sure: by Christmas, our solar system may have eight planets, or it may have ten- but it won't have nine anymore. Since Goofy is bigger than Pluto- and also has a moon- if Pluto continues to be considered a planet, it's hard to see how Goofy can not be.
Once again, despite persistent reports to the contrary, the body I've arbitrarily chosen to call "Goofy" is not named "Xena." That was a joking code-name among the Cal Tech astronomers who discovered it (another large trans-Neptunian object discovered on Christmas Eve was code-named "Santa").
The IAU will give Goofy its official name, probably at the same time its status is determined. If it is judged to be a planet, it will be named after a deity of the underworld; if not, it will be named for a deity of creation.
The IAU (International Astronomical Union) is supposed to decide whether or not Pluto stays a planet, and Goofy becomes one, late this summer. Because of their composition and orbital eccentricities, the status of our ninth planet and what may possibly be our tenth is currently a subject of some controversy among astronomers.
One thing's sure: by Christmas, our solar system may have eight planets, or it may have ten- but it won't have nine anymore. Since Goofy is bigger than Pluto- and also has a moon- if Pluto continues to be considered a planet, it's hard to see how Goofy can not be.
Once again, despite persistent reports to the contrary, the body I've arbitrarily chosen to call "Goofy" is not named "Xena." That was a joking code-name among the Cal Tech astronomers who discovered it (another large trans-Neptunian object discovered on Christmas Eve was code-named "Santa").
The IAU will give Goofy its official name, probably at the same time its status is determined. If it is judged to be a planet, it will be named after a deity of the underworld; if not, it will be named for a deity of creation.
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