Now You Can Help Name Planets and Moons (Within Reason)
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The International Astronomical Union, based in Paris, has previously maintained a very effective French stereotype at being arrogant and uninterested in other peoples’ opinions, not to mention exclusive (so exclusive that they famously declared Pluto no longer worthy of being called a planet).
As of Aug. 14th, however, the organization has declared it will listen to public campaigns for naming celestial bodies. Before you start petitioning them for Q’onos or Praxis, though, there are a few rules your proposed name must abide by:
-16 characters or less in length
-preferably one word
-pronounceable in as many languages as possible
-non-offensive in any language or culture
-not too similar to an existing name of an astronomical object
-names of pet animals are discouraged
-names of a purely or principally commercial nature are not allowed
-names of individuals, places or events principally known for political or military activities are unsuitable
And yet they’re still totally cool with Uranus.
About The Author
Luke Y. Thompson has been writing professionally about movies and pop-culture since 1999, and has also been an actor in some extremely cheap culty and horror movies you will probably never hear much about (he is nonetheless mostly proud of them, as he met his wife on one). As editor of The Robot's Voice since 2012, he can take the blame for the majority of the site's content, all of which he creates because he loves you very, very much. (Although he loves nachos more. Sorry.) Prior to TRV, Luke wrote for publications that include the New Times LA, Los Angeles CityBeat, E! Online, OC Weekly, Geekweek, GeekChicDaily, The L.A. Times, The Village Voice, LA Weekly, and Nerdist