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The Question
(Submitted April 30, 1997)
We is studying about the planets and their moons. Neptune's
moons are named after sea creatures. Why are Uranus's moons named after
Shakespearean characters rather than something related to Uranus?
The Answer
John Herschel, son of William Herschel (who discovered Uranus), and William
Lassell named the moons after characters from Shakespeare and from Alexander
Pope's 'Rape of the Lock', according to
http://wwwflag.wr.usgs.gov/USGSFlag/Space/nomen/append7.html
The planets and moons in our solar system have been named by astronomers
(usually ,led by whoever discovered the particular object) suggesting the
name -- sometimes they tried to mythologically match moon names to planet
names, but there is no rule that this must be done. Names must be submitted to
and approved by a "governing board" of scientists before they are accepted by
the scientific community. Toward this end, you can have a look at:
http://www-pdsimage.jpl.nasa.gov/PDS/public/vikingo/gazetter.txt.html
Rule 5 has been invoked by the IAU when establishing a theme for
naming features on newly discriminated satellites or planets. Thus,
newly discovered Uranian satellites and features on previously
discovered satellites continued the theme established by William Lassell
when he named the first four satellites for characters (mostly bright
and dark spirits) from Shakespeare and Pope; names for satellites of
Neptune continue the "watery" theme established by the names of the
planet and first two satellites.
You might also have a look at
http://wwwflag.wr.usgs.gov/USGSFlag/Space/nomen/nomen.html
Regards,
David Palmer, Damian Audley, and Laura Whitlock
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