NASA’s scientists have decided to fly their geek flag high, and will be naming craters and peaks on Charon, Pluto’s moon, after places mentioned in science fiction.
According to the rules of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), Pluto’s craters have to have names drawn from underworld mythology. But, Mashable reports, NASA has more free reign to propose names for Charon’s craters and peaks — and in doing so its scientists will be referencing the likes of Star Wars, Star Trek, Firefly and Dr. Who.
To date, names like Vader, Skywalker and Leia Organa have been proposed for craters, and Mordor, from Lord of the Rings, for a huge dark spot on the north side of Pluto’s moon. There’s even a Serenity chasm, named after the beloved ship on the short-lived Joss Whedon show, Firefly.
The new monikers do still have to be approved by the IAU, but scientists are hopeful that the names have enough of a cultural legacy to receive the stamp of approval. (The IAU has already approved the names “Frodo” and “Bilbo” for features on Saturn’s moon.)
Stars of the aforementioned shows and series have already expressed their support. “It is an honor to have a character you helped create be given such an esteemed recognition,” William Shatner, who starred as Captain Kirk in Star Trek, told Mashable.
An enhanced color global view of pluto released on July 24, 2015. NASA/ReutersIn the center left of Pluto’s vast heart-shaped feature – informally named “Tombaugh Regio” - lies a vast, craterless plain that appears to be no more than 100 million years old, and is possibly still being shaped by geologic processes. This frozen region is north of Pluto’s icy mountains and has been informally named Sputnik Planum (Sputnik Plain), after Earth’s first artificial satellite. The image was acquired on July 14 from a distance of 48,000 miles (77,000 kilometers).NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research InstituteA close-up image of a region near Pluto's equator shows a range of mountains rising as high as 11,000 feet (3,500 meters) taken by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft as it passed within 7,800 feet of the dwarf planet on July 14, 2015.NASA/Getty ImagesA newly discovered mountain range lies near the southwestern margin of Pluto’s heart-shaped Tombaugh Regio (Tombaugh Region), situated between bright, icy plains and dark, heavily-cratered terrain. NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research InstituteA composite image of Pluto and its largest moon Charon collected separately by New Horizons during approach on July 13 and July 14, 2015. The relative reflectivity, size, separation, and orientations of Pluto and Charon are approximated in this composite image, and they are shown in approximate true color. NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI Pluto, seen from the New Horizons spacecraft on July 13, 2015 just before the space craft's historic fly-by.NASA/APNASA's New Horizons captured this high-resolution enhanced color view of Charon just before closest approach on July 14, 2015.NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research InstituteA close up view of Pluto's largest moon, Charon.NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI Pluto on July 14, 2015, as seen by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft while it looked back toward the sun.NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI
Correction: The original version of this story incorrectly described the type of mythology from which proposed names for craters and peaks on Charon must be drawn. They must come from underworld mythology.
