Why Doesn't Our Moon Have a Name?

[NashVegas]

Struck me as I was responding to a post in yonder astrology thread. Other planets that have moons, those moons have names. Sexy names, like "Europa" or manly like "Titan."

Other planets' moons' names are capitalized, our moon's is not.

If I were the man in the moon, I'd probably be having an identity crisis by now.

[GOPisEvil]

1. Actually, I think it's called Luna. (But I'm reminded of a B52s song)

There's a moon in the sky
It's called the moon...

[NashVegas]

3. That's Just Latin

for 'moon.'

[GOPisEvil]

8. I know that. But I still think that is it's official name.

[NashVegas]

11. It May Have Been

and yet, it seems like the phrasology has always been "la lune" or some conjugation thereof.

It just seems that the science community could have gotten off its collective ass after telescopes were invented, and given it a proper name.

[GOPisEvil]

15. How about Marvin?

Marvin the Moon is a name you can sell to kids. Get those young ones into science.

[Seabiscuit]

26. Luna's just Latin for moon and "la lune" is just French for moon.

In fact, the only time you capitalize moon is in "Moonie", but that's another ball of wax entirely.

[Skink]

2. Jeeves....

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. Where the moons have names, there are usually more than one.

Like Mars has Deimos and Phobos. But since we have only one, calling it "the Moon" seems to be sufficient because there aren't any other moons to confuse it with. But I guess we could call it "Luna," which means, er... moon.

[cdsilv]

5. In various SciFi tales it's called Selene.....

as well as Luna. I can't remember if Doug Adams had a name for it.

[lakemonster11]

24. Selene is Greek for moon.

So it's the same sort of thing as Luna.

[St. Jarvitude]

10. Where the moons have no name..

I want to run
I want to hide
I want to tear down the walls
That hold me inside
I want to reach out
And touch the flame
Where the moons have no name

I want to feel sunlight on my face
I see the dust cloud disappear
Without a trace
I want to take shelter from the poison rain
Where the moons have no name

Where the moons have no name
Where the moons have no name
We're still building
Then burning down love
Burning down love
And when I go there
I go there with you
It's all I can do

The city's aflood
And our love turns to rust
We're beaten and blown by the wind
Trampled in dust
I'll show you a place
High on a desert plain
Where the moons have no name

Where the moons have no name
Where the moons have no name
We're still building
Then burning down love
Burning down love
And when I go there
I go there with you
It's all I can do
Our love turns to rust
We're beaten and blown by the wind
Blown by the wind
Oh, and I see love
See our love turn to rust
We're beaten and blown by the wind
Blown by the wind
Oh, when I go there
I go there with you
It's all I can do

[WildEyedLiberal]

21. Hahahaha

Why is this funny?

Probably because I spent all day listening to Achtung Baby. Now I have to go listen to Joshua Tree. Damn you.

[bobthedrummer]

6. It's why they call moon shots "lunar missions" at NASA-it's Luna.

[gmoney]

7. How about calling it Sun Myung?

Then we can send him there, along with the staff of the Washington Times...

[HeeBGBz]

9. Maybe we should have a moon naming contest?

Buttockia

[NashVegas]

12. Call the Pagans In

I'm sure they'll have some good entries.

[Xithras]

13. It's not Luna, it's Moon

And it SHOULD be capitalized.

Way back before humans had telescopes and realized that those lights in the sky were other planets and stars, humans believed that there were three astronomical bodies in the universe...Sun, Moon, and Earth. When we discovered objects orbiting other planets in our solar system we called them "moons", with a little M, in Moon's honor, but our very own great big grey ball is still Moon.

In English anyway...

[coloradodem2005]

14. It is called the moon.

Bang zoom right to the moon.

[MrScorpio]

16. Here's what some scientists say

Name of the Earth's moon

Author: doug a foster
Other planets have moons with names. Is there an official name for our
Moon?

Response #: 1 of 2
Author: rcwinther
The "official" name is the Moon, with a capital M. The satellites of the
other planets are called moons (small m). Similarly, stars are referred to
as suns, but our star is the Sun.

Response #: 2 of 2
Author: hawley
Then again, the Sun is sometimes Sol, Earth, Terra, and the Moon, Luna...

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/newton/askasci/1995/astron/AST081.HTM

[charlyvi]

18. Let's name it Barry White!

[pauliedangerously]

17. Well....

I would think it's just called the moon for the same reason our star is the sun; when they were discovered, people weren't aware that there were others.

[frylock]

19. some would say the earth is our moon..

but that would belittle the name of our moon, which is, the moon.

[tuvor]

20. There's a moon in the sky. It's called "the Moon."

Capitalized and everything.

[norml]

22. Because when it was named there was only one moon that was known of.

There was no need to differentiate one moon from another. Who can say then the Moon was first named? Do wolves say the Moon's name when they howl?

[Floogeldy]

23. Yes. It is "The Moon."

Or, we could call it "Fred." But that would be craaaaaaaazy!!!!!

[Allenberg]

25. ...

Maybe for the same reason our sun is called...the sun? :shrug:

[RadicalMom]

27. Its name is "The".