From: Harvey Newstrom (mail@HarveyNewstrom.com)
Date: Fri Jan 10 2003 - 21:51:58 MST
Michael M. Butler wrote,
> Harvey Newstrom wrote:
> > Trans-Neptunian Objects. The rules were carefully chosen so
> that "Pluto"
> > and "Charon" fit the rules for planets and TNOs. They are both Greek
> > deities and mythological names associated with the Underworld.
> >
> > I don't see what is inconsistent here.
>
> Harvey: You're mostly right, I reckon. But is the mythological
> Charon a _deity_?
Right, Charon is not a deity. He was the boatman who ferried people across
the Styx to Pluto's realm. Planets were typically named after deities, but
moons were not. Moons were named after characters associated with the
deity. Ganymede, Europa and Io were not deities, but were humans favored by
Jupiter. Callisto was a nymph favored by Jupiter. Amalthea was a princess
and/or goat that suckled the baby Jupiter. Nereid was not even a specific
entity, but a type of sea sirens ruled by Neptune.
The exception is Uranus which has 20 moons named after Shakespearian
character. I am not sure why this happened. William Herschel tried to name
the planet after King George and named two of its moons after Shakespearean
characters that same year.
-- Harvey Newstrom, CISSP <http://HarveyNewstrom.com>
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