Questions tagged [naming]
Questions regarding the process of assigning an identifying set of characters to an astronomical object.
59
questions
2
votes
1
answer
73
views
Why is it called "The LOFAR 'superterp'"? What is a terp, and what's so super about this one?
Wikipedia's Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR) includes the image below with the caption:
The LOFAR core ("superterp") near Exloo, Netherlands. The bridges give an idea of the scale.
Question: ...
- 31.5k
2
votes
1
answer
249
views
What does "TON" in TON 618 stand for?
I don't think TON 618 is a random name, but rather a composition of category name and a number.
But when I tried to google it, any article about TON 618 did not contain anything about its name origin ...
- 165
1
vote
0
answers
27
views
Who gave the Pelican Nebula its name?
IC 5070 is a nebula in Cygnus that is also sometimes called the Pelican Nebula. Who gave it this name?
- 16.7k
4
votes
1
answer
424
views
Who named Gomez's Hamburger as "Gomez's Hamburger"? (IRAS 18059-3211)
Science Alert's Make Your Day Better With These 8 Cool Space Things That Have Totally Ridiculous Names says:
Whoever named Gomez's Hamburger sure must have been hungry, because it doesn't really look ...
- 31.5k
1
vote
2
answers
92
views
Any stellar entity named A1?
Is there a spatial entity (moon, planet, star, system, galaxy, cluster,..) that is identified with "A1" (or A{first_term})?
- 13
1
vote
1
answer
97
views
If a black hole is spinning, does its singularity have a new name and what is the name? [duplicate]
Think of a spinning black hole. (Kerr black hole)
Every black hole has a point of infinite density, called a singularity.
When a singularity is spinning, does it have a different name?
But when a ...
- 13
3
votes
2
answers
239
views
When will 2002 MS4 be named?
The trans-Neptunian planetoid 2002 MS4 is currently the largest known unnamed Sun-orbiting object. Is there any standard schedule on when this and similar objects might be named? Usually the ...
- 1,538
1
vote
0
answers
69
views
Are sunspots named or individually tracked?
This is a follow-up question to How are the solar flares from May 23, 2021 extraordinary? which is about news of spaceweather.org. In the present question, I am curious solely about sun-spots and why ...
- 5,284
-3
votes
4
answers
245
views
What’s an Earth-Sun-Moon eclipse called?
I understand we would all die and this is a common “think about your question before you ask it” thing in high school, but what would we call an eclipse where the Sun gets in between Earth and the ...
- 25
7
votes
1
answer
329
views
Why was Neptune rather than Uranus chosen as an archetype?
The largest exoplanets are typically called Jupiter-like planets, or hot/cold Jupiters. Since Jupiter is the largest most massive planet in our Solar system, it makes sense that it would be chosen as ...
- 16.7k
2
votes
1
answer
96
views
The star that died and became the Crab Nebula and Crab Pulsar?
The supernova of this star was witnessed about 1 thousand years ago, and the star's remains are the Crab Nebula and Crab Pulsar. What is this no longer existent star called? How massive was this star? ...
- 21
0
votes
1
answer
96
views
What is the naming convention for craters on Mercury?
The two largest craters on Mercury are names Caloris (meaning "hot") and Rembrandt (for the painter). So there doesn't seem to be a pattern.
By convention, craters on Mars are named for ...
- 16.7k
1
vote
2
answers
83
views
Naming convention for multiple star systems
Okay, so I've seen different notations for the stars in β Capricorni. Some sources state that the stars are Aa, Ab1 and Ab2, Ba, and Bb, while others say that they are Aa, Aba and Abb, Ba, and Bb. So, ...
- 5,938
1
vote
2
answers
65
views
What is the naming convention for temporary moons?
Is there a naming convention for temporary moons? Or do they follow the naming conventions of other small bodies?
In the case of 2006 RH$_{120}$, 2015 HP$_{116}$, 2020 CD$_3$ and 2020 SO, the first ...
- 16.7k
0
votes
1
answer
54
views
Why do some pulsar planets have designations with a capital letter at the end?
The pulsar PSR B1257+12 has three planets. Most triple-planet system have designation foo b, foo c, and foo d. However, I noticed that the three planets of this pulsar (PSR B1257+12) have a ...
- 5,938
5
votes
1
answer
499
views
Why were the Magellanic Clouds named that way?
From the Wikipedia article, the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds were observed prior to Magellan's expedition, and the name only stuck long after Magellan's expedition (at first, they were called ...
- 16.7k
15
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Is there a name for a planet and its moons/satellites?
I'm wondering if there's a name that encapsulates the concept of a planet and the objects that orbit in its gravity. There's a solar system that encapsulates a star and its multiple planets and other ...
- 253
1
vote
1
answer
285
views
Why are Uranus' satellites named after characters in Shakespeare?
Oberon, Titania, Ophelia, Puck, Miranda... Uranus' satellites are named for characters in the works of Shakespeare and Pope. Yet the names of Jupiter and Saturn's moon come from the Roman and Greek ...
- 16.7k
3
votes
1
answer
138
views
What name was voted for Tau Boötis b by the Name Exoworlds Project?
In 2015, the exoplanet Tau Boötis b was included in the Name Exoworlds Project, a project where various international astronomy organizations would propose names for a selection of known exoplanets ...
- 2,980
3
votes
1
answer
109
views
Why is there no Proxima 'a' planet? I'm confused about the naming convention [duplicate]
Why is there no exoplanet around Proxima Centauri designated with the letter 'a'? There is, famously, a 'b' and now a newly confirmed 'c'....
I have read that exoplanets around a star are designated ...
- 3,333
2
votes
0
answers
78
views
Why was the diaeresis removed from Pasiphae?
The Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature notes that the spelling of Jupiter's moon Pasiphae was changed from Pasiphaë in July 2009, i.e. they removed the diaeresis. I've been unable to track down the ...
user24157
4
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Why were two galaxies named "The Sagittarius Galaxy"? Is this common?
Phys.org's says:
The formation of the Sun, the Solar System and the subsequent emergence of life on Earth may be a consequence of a collision between our galaxy, the Milky Way, and a smaller ...
- 31.5k
4
votes
1
answer
129
views
Astronomical Term *Mezzocielo*
What is the name of the point of intersection of the great circle passing through the celestial north pole P and the Zenith Z, with the celestial equator? (Point T in the figure)
In Italian this point ...
- 398
6
votes
2
answers
360
views
Does IC 1101 have any name?
IC 1101 is the single largest galaxy that has ever been found in the observable universe, but does IC 1101 have any other name or at least a nick-name, perhaps something more soothing to the ear and ...
0
votes
0
answers
47
views
Who first named the planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn? [duplicate]
Who first named the planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn?
Agnes Clerke's Catholic Encyclopedia article "Astronomy in the Bible" § Planets claims that "Venus and Saturn are the only ...
- 101
1
vote
1
answer
175
views
What is the LSST now? Where does LSST end and Vera C. Rubin Observatory begin?
Space.com's It's Official: Vera Rubin Observatory Named to Honor Dark Matter Scientist says:
"We're here today to focus on the major renaming of the facility after a pioneering astronomer, that ...
- 31.5k
3
votes
2
answers
544
views
Ross 128 (What does the number mean?)
I see that there are a number of stars that have a number at the end of them. Ross 128 is an example. What does this number mean?
- 133
2
votes
1
answer
99
views
How official is TNO 486958, 2014 MU69's new name Arrokoth?
The Trans-Neptunian object 486958 or 2014 MU69 has had several designations and nicknames. According to Phys.org's NASA renames faraway ice world 'Arrokoth' after backlash
Ultima Thule, the ...
- 31.5k
5
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Is there a database of all known star names/identifiers?
I am looking for a list of all known identifiers used for stars. I'm not sure on the terminology. While I do want the "proper names", I also want whatever identifier is used for each star detected, ...
- 153
0
votes
1
answer
129
views
Does Mars' "Northern ocean" have another name? What about the "Inland Sea"?
The March 15, 2019 Phys.org article A NASA spacecraft may have explored the edges of an early Mars sea in 1997 shows a stylized map of an area on Mars where the Mars Pathfinder landed and uses colors ...
- 31.5k
3
votes
3
answers
347
views
How many asteroids are named after musicians? Is there a searchable list for this?
Spot checking Wikipedia, Google and JPL's Horizions I found several musicians right away, including Lou Reed, Elvis, Freddy Mercury, and David Bowie.
Is there a way to find all of the asteroids that ...
- 31.5k
4
votes
1
answer
208
views
How did Biden become VP? (naming of 2012 VP113)
The Carnegie Science article Solar System's Edge Redefined describes the discovery of the object 2012 VP113.
Wikipedia's article 2012 VP113 says:
Nickname:
2012 VP113 was abbreviated "VP" ...
- 31.5k
0
votes
1
answer
182
views
Why was Uranus named what it was? [duplicate]
Why was Uranus named what it was, and who came up with the name?
0
votes
2
answers
91
views
What is the official classification and naming system of objects in the universe(, or what would my URI look like)?
Poetic human centric approach:
Universe/Laniakea/Virgo/MilkyWay/Sol/Earth/Humans/AndreasT
Little bit more technical:
...
- 101
2
votes
2
answers
117
views
What does the word "compact" mean in astronomy/astrophysics?
I have seen countless times the adjective "compact" in astronomy, e.g. compact stars, compact binaries, etc. I would like to know, what exactly is this supposed to mean? From this source, I am led to ...
- 185
6
votes
1
answer
342
views
What do the acronyms in "AT 2017 gfo" mean?
About 11 hours after the detection of GW170817 by Ligo/Virgo and the quickly succeeding detected GRB170817, a transient afterglow in the optical-nIR frequency appeared which showed many signs of r-...
- 185
3
votes
2
answers
149
views
How to name planets outside our galaxy?
Recently, planets outside our galaxy have been discovered.
How would be the convention to naming these planets? As far as I know, it seems that there is no standard for naming exoplanets even in our ...
- 153
4
votes
3
answers
747
views
Why nobody cares to give the nearest stars better names?
The star occupying 6th place on Wikipedia's list of nearest stars and brown dwarfs can be called either Lalande 21185, BD+36 2147, Gliese 411 or HD 95735. That seems to me like a fine, quadruple ...
- 159
8
votes
2
answers
4k
views
Why is Sagittarius A* called so?
At the center of the Milky Way, we have a supermassive black hole. It's name is "Sagittarius A*". I was wondering that why is it called so? I mean, why "A*" why not just "A". Is there a naming system ...
- 321
2
votes
1
answer
350
views
Whats the name of this eye-shaped galaxy?
I would like to know the name of this eye-shaped galaxy:
Strange eye-shaped galaxy has black-hole iris, Betsy Mason, 23.07.2009, Wired.com:
- 123
3
votes
3
answers
368
views
What's the name of outside the cosmic horizon?
The word we use to refer to what's inside the cosmic horizon is the 'universe', so what would you call the empty space outside of the horizon?
- 797
1
vote
1
answer
410
views
Why does exoplanets' naming start from "b" and not from "a"? [duplicate]
An exoplanet named after its host star receives the suffix letter "b" if it was the first planet discovered to orbit that star, or "c" if it was the second, or "d" if it was the third, and so on.
Why ...
- 171
1
vote
1
answer
453
views
Is there a relation with the noun planet and to be in a plane?
This morning I was in the shower and it struck me that the word planet might be related to the fact that the PLANEts orbit the sun in a PLANE. Did this naming somewhat happen by accident or was it ...
- 113
3
votes
0
answers
57
views
Is there a timeline for the naming of the TRAPPIST-1 worlds?
For the moment, the TRAPPIST-1 worlds are just known by their official designations, like "TRAPPIST-1a" etc. NASA made a casual tweet asking people what they would name the worlds, and there has been ...
- 617
55
votes
3
answers
8k
views
Where did TRAPPIST-1a go?
According to the NASA announcement and the Wikipedia article on TRAPPIST-1, the planets around the TRAPPIST-1 star are named TRAPPIST-1 b through h. What happened to "TRAPPIST-1 a"?
- 623
1
vote
1
answer
157
views
Is having a surname which begins with the letter “A” a big advantage for a researcher in astronomy/astrophysics? Is changing our surname a good idea?
Is having a surname which begins with the letter “A” a big advantage for a researcher in astronomy/astrophysics?
If I have a surname which begins with the letter “M”, and I haven’t published any ...
- 222
2
votes
2
answers
377
views
Stellar Mapping and Coordinates [closed]
Why are the Galactic Coordinates not aligned so that the Axes go through the Long Bar Y-axis aligned to it's longer side, positive with Sol, and the X-axis align to the center of the short length with ...
- 367
6
votes
3
answers
806
views
Who gets to name Planet Nine if it is confirmed?
According to Wikipedia, "On 20 January 2016, researchers Konstantin Batygin and Michael E. Brown at Caltech announced calculation-based evidence of a massive ninth planet in the Solar System."
If ...
- 181
8
votes
3
answers
880
views
How do scientists name space objects?
I am curious that there are lots of celestial objects (planets, comets, stars, galaxies, etc.) in space. How do we name them?
- 183
2
votes
2
answers
162
views
Which stars have been named after astronomers?
Most apparent stars have ancient names. But some of the newer (since 200 or so years) discoveries have been given the name of some prominent astronomer. Kapteyn's star is one example, and there are ...
- 10.8k