back to article Give an exoplanet a new name: Fill in this form and hope these astro-boffins pick your $input

You won't be able to give a planet an insulting name to denigrate a politician, but if you're part of the amateur astronomy world, you can help bestow names on exoplanets. The International Astronomical Union has opened up 305 exoplanets for public input into naming, with public astronomical organisations, or “non-profit …

  1. Gray Ham Bronze badge
    Unhappy

    "... only non-offensive names will be accepted"

    So, no planet Belgium ...

  2. Mark 85

    And no planet America

    since we're considered very offensive. Both socially and militarily.

    1. MrT

      Ooh, can we name ...

      ...one of that planet's moons "Hillyar"? Hits the military no-no button too - James Hillyar RN ;-)

  3. Graham Marsden
    Thumb Up

    A pity that...

    ... Fintlewoodlewix is already taken...

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Pity that individuals can't propose names...

    ...only vote on them.

    No doubt the vote will be ignored anyway if Ferenginar/Vulcan/Romulus etc. comes out on top...

  5. User McUser
    Joke

    Captain Thrace will be upset

    there will [...] be no “planet [...] Starbucks”

    Well frak me sideways.

  6. Ugotta B. Kiddingme

    Magrathea

    or Kakrafoon. Either one, to pay proper homage.

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Are they sure these exist?

    Given that three "Earth-like" planets they thought were out there were shown to be sunspots last week.

  8. et tu, brute?
    Go

    Bob

    There has to be at least one that is going to be called Bob, correct?

    1. Robert Helpmann??
      Childcatcher

      Re: Bob

      You can't call a planet 'Bob'! I'm never calling it that.

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Alien

    I humbly submit the following name...

    "Next gas 22,753,291,487,000 miles"

    (And no, I am not translating that into kilometers!)

    1. Stoneshop
      Boffin

      Re: I humbly submit the following name...

      $ units

      Currency exchange rates from 2012-10-24

      2585 units, 85 prefixes, 66 nonlinear units

      You have: 22753291487000 miles

      You want: brontosauruses

      * 2.6479985e+14

      / 3.7764372e-15

      You have:

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Fergus

    Lovely that!

  11. cortland

    Just pick 'em from EE Smith.

    http://thelensuniverse.blogspot.com/2009/05/planet-trenco.html

  12. Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
    Alien

    Vogsphere?

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