back to article Public told to go to hell, name Pluto's two new moons

A poll has been opened to decide the names for two newly discovered moons of Pluto, and so far the response has been phenomenal, the SETI Institute told El Reg. The two moons, the fourth and fifth found to be orbiting Pluto, have been provisionally named P4 and P5, but now the SETI Institute has teamed up with the …

COMMENTS

This topic is closed for new posts.
  1. Why Not?
    Alien

    Gotta be

    Pinky & Perky!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Coat

      Re: Gotta be

      Barry and Paul

  2. JimC
    FAIL

    I was about to try and get the first post

    with a sarky comment aout how many fatuous suggestions would be posted here instead of posted on the appropriate site, but I see that...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Devil

      Re: I was about to try and get the first post

      "I was about to try and get the first post with a sarky comment aout how many fatuous suggestions would be posted here instead of posted on the appropriate site, but I see that..."

      So you won't be supporting my proposals for Dagnut and Winnit?

      Mind you, that fool Showalter missed the heaven-sent opportunity of applying those names to the couple of moons around Uranus, and instead went with some Shakespearean nonsense.

  3. Mystic Megabyte
    Coat

    press 2 for

    BT and Helpdesk?

  4. Ryan 7
    WTF?

    Inexplicably omitted from the article, here's the poll for your convenience

    http://www.plutorocks.com/

  5. Piro Silver badge
    Pint

    Thanks,.

    Wondered why that was missing.

  6. Steven Roper
    Thumb Up

    Styx and Lethe?

    Well, if Hadean rivers are permitted, one of the moons at least has got be called Acheron!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Styx and Lethe?

      River from Hell? That would be the Tees...

      1. Steven Roper
        Thumb Up

        Re: Styx and Lethe?

        Well, I was actually thinking of LV-426 when I said Acheron, but your point is also taken!

      2. John Brown (no body) Silver badge
        Pint

        "River from Hell? That would be the Tees..."

        Nah, that would be the river TO Hell. It's quite nice when you get up river into Teesdale and the like.

  7. Oninoshiko
    Stop

    Hrm?

    are things orbiting non-planets still considered moons?

    1. jai

      Re: Hrm?

      "that's no moon!"

    2. Ru

      Re: Hrm?

      are things orbiting non-planets still considered moons

      Well, things orbiting stars might get called planets or comets, for example ;-)

      But yes: the requirements for moonhood are quite simple; be a natural satellite orbiting a larger body. Everything else is a bit fuzzy, especially as regards size (generally >1km diameter, but 1862 Apollo has an 80m diameter satellite) and size relative to its primary (where the two are similar, it is more like a binary planetary or asteroid system... Pluto and Charon are borderline), but there don't seem to be a whole load of disputes.

      1. Oninoshiko
        Thumb Up

        Re: Hrm?

        FTR: I'm the one who thumb-upped you, mostly because I didn't think you deserved to be thumb-downed.

        I liked your post, while mine was 1/2 in jest, it was only half. Your post was informative. I didn't know the official definition of "moon" was so vague.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    As the names have to be from the underworld, then I vote for...

    Steve

    and

    Jobs

    :-)

    1. Ole Juul

      Re: As the names have to be from the underworld, then I vote for...

      Attempts to nominate current celebrities will not be accepted

      Which might be a missed funding opportunity. How much would the highest bidder pay to get their name in the sky?

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Are we naming all specks of dust now ?

    Pluto's no longer a planet, are there public polls of everything in the Keplar belt too ?

    Is this the XFactor for the Solar System - I'm sure I used to play a role play game that had a system for generating this kinda crap.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Coat

      @AC Re: Are we naming all specks of dust now ?

      Don't go hating on Pluto, just because it's a Mickey Mouse planet!!! (Yes, I actually went there!!)

      Putting on my space suit before Reginistas blow me out the airlock.....

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Twin moons

    “the names must relate to the classical underworld”

    Ronnie & Reggie?

    1. Francis Boyle Silver badge

      Since we're restricted to the classics

      surely that should be "Doug and Dinsdale".

  11. Joe Cooper

    I guess Van, Halen are out :(

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Pirate

    Related to the underworld and Roman or Greek?

    1) Acheron and Styx

    2) Benito and Mussolini?

    1. Yet Another Commentard

      Re: Related to the underworld and Roman or Greek?

      I had thought about "Dis" (term for Pluto, also Satan), but the other moon would end obviously up as "Dat".

      1. Coldwind104

        Re: Related to the underworld and Roman or Greek?

        "term for Pluto, also Satan"

        I suppose it's not worth pointing out that Abrahamic cultural appropriation notwithstanding, the underworld of the classical religious traditions was not, in fact, the Judeo-Christian Hell, and its ruler was really not the Christian Devil?

        It probably isn't. After all, the lamentable 'Clash of the Titans' remake, and 'Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief' pretty much ruled that they're the same thing.

        On the other hand, I suppose from a Christian point of view, 'Dis' being a 'false god', His name is as much a name for Satan as that of Mars, or Neptune, or Venus...

    2. Jedit Silver badge
      Headmaster

      "Acheron and Styx"

      If you're going to name them for a pair of rivers, Phlegethon and Styx would be more appropriate. The water nymph Styx (for whom the river is named) was in love with the fire spirit Phlegethon, but died at his touch.

  13. Daniel B.
    Joke

    And here was me

    Expecting them to be called Mickey & Goofy.

  14. stucs201

    Stick with the dog theme

    One of them has to be Cerberus.

    1. Martin Budden Silver badge
      Childcatcher

      Re: Stick with the dog theme

      Yes, if for no other reason than to educate the young masses where JKR stole Fluffy from.

  15. This post has been deleted by its author

  16. Blofeld's Cat
    Devil

    Well...

    Yavin 4 and ... er ... hang on that's not a moon.

  17. Rampant Spaniel

    Calvin and Hobbers :)

  18. Robin Bradshaw

    Bah annoying rules

    Id have suggested xkcd and minutephysics

  19. Winkypop Silver badge
    Devil

    Cerberus and Hercules

    What better than a dog fight around Pluto?

  20. proto-robbie
    Thumb Down

    Unfortunate that...

    ...BOFH and PFY do not seem Greek or Roman, classics though they may be.

    1. Callam McMillan

      Re: Unfortunate that...

      Do you think the BOFH would tolerate a rock where the internet connection has a multi-day ping time?

      1. IglooDude
        Devil

        Re: Unfortunate that...

        Of course, he'd proxy all the PHB's internet traffic through it.

    2. Christos Georgiou
      Coat

      Re: Unfortunate that...

      Just follow some transliteration rules, and you're set:

      Bophis and Piphys

      Now, a quick edit in Wikipedia introducing these relatively unknown minor Hades-related deities *just* before the committee verifies the entry, and Bobus is your uncle.

  21. Frumious Bandersnatch

    offenbach

    The pair of them. Cos maybe now they'll reconfirm Pluto's off-again, on-again status on the list of planets. Well OK, Orpheus and Hades it is then...

    1. JohnG

      Re: offenbach

      ...but Offenbach is just a small shitty town to the east of Frankfurt, fast becoming yet another Turkish enclave.

  22. et tu, brute?
    Gimp

    Staying with the doggies...

    ...would surely make it Cerberus and Orthus, his doublet, especially as the rocks seem to be the same size, which means they must be brothers!

  23. Neil Barnes Silver badge
    Coat

    Wasn't Pluto named by Tonbough's daughter for the Disney character?

    In which case, Mickey and Minnie seem logical...

    1. Anonymous Custard

      Re: Wasn't Pluto named by Tonbough's daughter for the Disney character?

      When they said underworld and hell, I don't think they had Disneyland in mind.

      That said I must admit when I read the article my first thoughts were also Mickey and Minnie (until I got to the limitations bit).

    2. Coldwind104

      Re: Wasn't Pluto named by Tonbough's daughter for the Disney character?

      No. It was named by Venetia Burney from Oxford. And she named it for the god. At 11 years old, she was interested in the mythology of the classical cultures. Kids, huh? Tsk. Of course, then Facebook came along and made childhood so much more... something.

  24. Danny 14
    Paris Hilton

    posh and becks

    Would pluto be far enough away for them to go?

  25. MJI Silver badge

    Greek Mythology

    I want Kratos!

  26. jai

    wish we could name them "#itIsAPlanet" and "#damnit!"

  27. Pooka

    I don't think I've got the right Underworld.....

    Barnstyle and Sappy's Curry

    Shudder and King of Snake

    Rez and Cowgirl

    Emerson and Hyde?

  28. MJI Silver badge

    Some of those are Bristol Siddley

    Orpheus

    Hercules

  29. Seeking wisdom

    So obvious - Mik3y & Minnie. Without them Pluto will feel rather lonely!

  30. Richard IV

    I've gone and submitted Pirithous as an alternative. It's one of my favourite "don't piss off the Gods" stories.

    He and Theseus went down to the underworld with the intent of taking Persephone as his wife. Needless to say it didn't end well, what with them both being trapped on the chair of forgetfulness by Hades, and Theseus only being freed at the expense of his buttocks when Heracles harrowed hell to get Cerberus; Pirithous was trapped forever.

    1. The last doughnut
      Meh

      I know how he feels

  31. Psyx
    Thumb Up

    R2-D2 and C3-P0

  32. Paul Westerman
    Thumb Up

    surely..

    Patrick and Moore?

  33. Valeyard

    Greek Mythology

    "Employment" and "national assets of 50p"

  34. Joe Harrison
    Pint

    Can't remember but

    "Lethe, whose waters caused those who drank to forget everything" I think I might actually have been there

    1. Euripides Pants
      Flame

      Re: Can't remember but

      Nah, that was some of uncle Roscoe's homemade glog.

      Icon because it was 190 proof.

  35. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Cronos

    And Mantas. Or Abaddon.

  36. JimmyPage Silver badge

    Sagan and Moore

    thats all.

  37. Jay Holmes
    Thumb Up

    Keep the dog/hell theme of Pluto and add in Cerberus and Orthrus

    Or if you just want to stick to Disney dogs then Goofy and his son Max

    1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge

      Doland and Gooby!

  38. Dilbert1969

    Rupert

  39. Tom 7

    following in from Nix

    Zilch and Nada

    or following on from Charon: Cloe and Joey - cant get much nearer hell than that.

  40. DayDragon
    Joke

    Uranus

    "Showalter has already named two moons of Uranus (Mab and Cupid, named after Shakespearean characters)"

    Surely Uranus's satellites/moons should be called hemorrhoid and klingon... Or Sphincter and Starfish

  41. This post has been deleted by its author

  42. Kubla Cant

    Underworld

    Mornington Crescent and Cockfosters

  43. Camilla Smythe

    Red Dwarf..

    'HeadOne' and 'HeadTwo'. Kryten had three but one was a mardy Yorkshireman so it can be upset at not being nominated.

    -

    -

    Hades reference... Cerberus had two heads.

    1. Jay Holmes
      FAIL

      Re: Red Dwarf..

      <pedant>

      Cerberus had three heads, his brother Orphus had two heads

      </pedant>

  44. Gazareth

    Classical Underworld?

    Got to be Slippy & Cowgirl.

    1. Pooka

      Re: Classical Underworld?

      Heh - posted that Underworld joke on the other page....

      But I guess as a followup we could go with "Everything" and "Everything"

      1. Gazareth

        Re: Classical Underworld?

        Ah, missed that, was thinking no one had used it yet!

  45. Thomas 4

    Could do with something really classical

    Dante and Virgil?

    Named after the The Divine Comedy, rather than the Devil May Cry series.

  46. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Coat

    Twins of Evil

    Gates and Jobs?

    I know no current celebrities.

    1. proto-robbie
      Pirate

      Re: Twins of Evil

      Cameron and Clegg?

  47. Tezfair
    Coat

    Windows 8 and Office 2013

    Because everyone knows they are out there but no ones really that interested.

  48. A Long Fellow
    Pint

    a poetic reflection

    The hell of astronomy

    is all that taxonomy.

    There's an object for everyone famous.

    I understand Triton

    was one of the Titans.

    But I don't know much of Uranus.

    OR...

    I'm very impressed by Uranus.

    or

    The cold gassy blob is Uranus.

    or

    ...

    1. proto-robbie
      Angel

      Re: a poetic reflection

      none of them hugely spontaneous...

  49. teebie

    "only a handful of man-made object to venture out of the solar system"

    Is that hand empty? I though voyagers hadn't made it yet, and they are the furthest away.

  50. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Planet and Planet 2

  51. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    All of you ignoring the "classic greek" bit

    Look, if you are going to ignore the requirement for classic Greek, then there is one name that must obviously be there.

    Hitler.

    For the co-starring role, any of the following would do:

    Manson

    Rader

    Gacy

  52. Robert Helpmann??
    Childcatcher

    Write-in?

    Sisyphus got left off the list. There must be some mistake... or perhaps someone dropped the ball.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Coat

      Sisyphus

      Naw, we just don' wan' no sissies 'round our planetoid!

      (and why the hell you were downvoted is beyond me...)

  53. J.G.Harston Silver badge

    Underwurlde?

    Has to be Ultimate and Play The Game :)

  54. Euripides Pants

    Classical Underworld

    Catwoman and Riddler

  55. henchan
    Alien

    >> SETI said it is monitoring the boards for signs of spamming.

    and if there are no signs, they'll pick an even easier target until ... something ... please ... anything.

  56. The Octagon

    James Westfall and Doctor Kenneth Noisewater

  57. Timly
    Coat

    Dark Side of The....

    Has to be Pink and Floyd, surely?....

  58. danR2

    Plato and Bluto

    or Bluto and Plato

    :)

  59. DarrDarr

    Pluto's not a planet, remember?

    They can't be moons, 'cause when illegitimate planets get things orbiting around them, they have the power to just shut that whole thing down.

This topic is closed for new posts.

Other stories you might like