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From: ems@amdahl.UUCP (ems)
Newsgroups: net.columbia
Subject: Re: Uranus and naming moons
Message-ID: <2773@amdahl.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 10-Feb-86 14:28:26 EST
Article-I.D.: amdahl.2773
Posted: Mon Feb 10 14:28:26 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 12-Feb-86 20:11:18 EST
References: <271@bambi.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: Circle C Shellfish Ranch, Shores-of-the-Pacific, Ca
Lines: 21
Summary: Somebody write a play about Challenger, quick!

In article <271@bambi.UUCP>, mike@bambi.UUCP (Michael Caplinger) writes:
> Sorry, but astronomical bodies like moons are never named after people.
> Even asteroids christened for individuals use a variant of the person's
> name that looks like a first name, or has been "Latinized" or "classisized"
> in some way.
> 
> The current scheme for naming the moons of Uranus names them after
> spirits in plays or poems (sort of, Miranda is something of an
> exception).  Titania and Oberon are from Shakespeare's MIDSUMMER
> NIGHT'S DREAM, (...)

Somebody write a play about the Challenger 7, QUICK!

I can think of nothing so worthy of overturning a tradition than the
desire to start a new one of naming moons after space explorers
killed in flight.  I also hope that there will be no shortage of moons...

-- 
E. Michael Smith  ...!{hplabs,ihnp4,amd,nsc}!amdahl!ems

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