Pluto's curse named at last

[kurth]

Pluto's curse named at last
By Chris Williams
14th September 2006

The distant rock which prompted astronomers to strip Pluto of its planethood has been offically named Eris, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) announced Wednesday.

Eris is the Greek goddess of discord, hinting at the troubled ordination of the newly-discovered body.

One of Eris' discoverers, Michael Brown of the California Institute of Technology, told AP the new name was "too perfect to resist." Eris' moon gets the monicker Dysnomia, after Eris' daughter - the spirit of lawlessness - in Greek mythology.

On its discovery last year Eris was provisionally dubbed Xena, after a mysterious "warrior princess" of American legend...

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/09/14/eris_named/

[Der Blaue Engel]

1. Go, Eris and Dysnomia!

Kick Pluto's ass! :D

[Sherman A1]

2. I support the PLANET Pluto

and will continue to "Stay the Course!" "No Cut and Run" from me.

[TechBear_Seattle]

9. What about planet Ceres?

It was a planet for 50 years, until the discovery of other minor bodies orbiting in the same region forced the creation of the category of asteroid.

The demotion from "planet" to something else has precedent; why isn't anyone whining like spoiled children over Ceres?

[Sherman A1]

11. I am not whining like a spoiled child over Ceres

because I don't want to. I will support the Planet Pluto and Ceres can find someone else to support itself.

[dipsydoodle]

3. was provisionally dubbed Xena

but then someone pointed out she actually had twin rocks: :rofl:

[rodeodance]

4. oh no!!---they dropped Xena----name--and her moon Gabrible! (I suspect)

......On its discovery last year Eris was provisionally dubbed Xena, after a mysterious "warrior princess" of American legend...

[Straight Shooter]

5. Discord and lawlessness are the hallmarks of our era.

Very fitting.

Too bad Eris doesn't have another moon. Michael Brown could have named it "Dubya," for the spirit of arrogance.

[Dogmudgeon]

6. So it keeps its geek cred

"Xena" was from pop culture; "Eris" is a nod to Discordianism, founded by JFK conspiracy theorist (eek! eek!) Kerry Thornely.

And, of course, the NASA/Masonic Conspiracy is not just still active, it's gotten hipper. :thumbsup:

Good choice.

--p!
Kallisti!

[Dead_Parrot]

7. From Lawless to lawlessness? weird... nt

[TechBear_Seattle]

10. Great catch! n/t

[LunaSea]

8. A pluto poem in my email

NURSERY RHYMES FOR OUR TIMES

Twinkle, twinkle, little star
How we've wondered what you are.
All the experts far and wide
Have long pondered to decide.
Twinkle, twinkle, litle star
How they've wondered what you are.

1930 they began it,
Calling you another planet,
Now it seems no very nice
To say you're just a block of ice.
twinkle, twinkle, little dot
Now we know what you are not.

Not a planet, not a star
Stuck up there so very far,
Relegated in disgrace,
Frozen out, in outer space.
Twinkle, twinkle, asteroid,
Pluto, lost out in the void.

Author: Brian D. Jones, Murcia, Spain
(Taken from a UK national daily newspaper, yesterday)

[htuttle]

12. Looks like Discordians have a brand new Holy Site...

...but it sure is a LOT farther away than the famed Brunswick Shrine.

I'm going to have to ask St. Gulik about what all this means... :smoke: