For non-APOD subscribers:

[cactuswatcher]

link to
http://www.livejournal.com/users/apod/273416.html

As we used to say 'that's a long walk from here.'
I hope when they name it, they'll stick to the mythologic theme and not name it after someone.

Comments

[buffyannotater.livejournal.com]

It already has a name.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/3288636

"Informally, the astronomers have been calling it "Xena" after the television series about a Greek warrior princess, which was popular when the astronomers began their systematic sweep of the sky in 2000. "Because we always wanted to name something Xena," Brown said."

Speaking of which, I could not be more excited about Planet Xena! ;-)

[cactuswatcher.livejournal.com]

That's certainly a name you might remember.

I just wonder if the international committee on such things would agree to name it after our favorite warrior princess.

[darbyunlimited.livejournal.com]

What I'm finding interesting is that all of the analysis is saying that this thing is at most 70% the size of Pluto, but every media story I've seen is pushing the initial thought that it might be bigger.

What we really have to worry is Disney exerting its proprietary option in the naming (what, you thought Pluto was named after the Greek guy? Product placement, folks-!).

[cactuswatcher.livejournal.com]

I guess we'll know for sure if it's planet Goofy.

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

Knowing the trends in this day and age, they'll name it after the corporation that sponsored its discovery.

[cactuswatcher.livejournal.com]

Then in six months that corporation will go bankrupt, be bought out and then there'll be a planetary name change.

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

Oh, right, that too.

I'm still seething with the stupidity of all those sports arenas and bowl games getting their nice names changed into utilitarian corporate names, and I'm not even a fan of sports.

[midnightsjane.livejournal.com]

Oh, I like Planet Xena. We need more female planets..I mean after all, the only ones that aren't named after male dieties are Venus, and Earth.
Sort of off topic, in the ICU we have developed a habit of naming the equipment: We have dialysis machines named Xena, Hercules, Zeus, and Lazarus, and a number of ventilators named after Star Wars characters..the people I work with are just as geeky as I am.