Xena No More
Sep. 14th, 2006 10:25 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sdelmonteBy now, we should all know about Xena. Not the character from the TV show of the same name, but that Kuiper Belt Object discovered by astronomer Mike Browne and nicknamed for the warrior princess. It was the discovery of Xena that led to the grand debate about what is a planet, and to Pluto's de-planet-ization.
Xena, however, was only a temporary nickname. Browne had a real name, drawn from mythology (as are nearly all names for planets, moons and the like). And this week, that name was revealed, and ratified...
Eris. The goddess of discord. As Browne notes, it's a perfect name.
Nice to find an astronomer with a sense of humor and irony.
Xena, however, was only a temporary nickname. Browne had a real name, drawn from mythology (as are nearly all names for planets, moons and the like). And this week, that name was revealed, and ratified...
Eris. The goddess of discord. As Browne notes, it's a perfect name.
Nice to find an astronomer with a sense of humor and irony.
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Date: Sep. 15th, 2006 01:45 am (UTC)Eris? Really?
Awesome! Girl finally gets some recognition.