What do you think they should name the 10th planet?

Question

Since they discovered it last year, the 10th planet has been nicknamed "Xena" (as in Xena, Warrior Princess) and it's moon "Gabrielle" (name of Xena's sidekick on the show). What do you think they should name this new planet (and it's moon if you're up to it), and why?
My personal opinoin is "Apollo", but what does everyone else think it should be? (is there a website we can suggest names to, perhaps?)

Answer 1

First, forget Sedna. That is a body smaller than Pluto, and it's not the one most likely to be our 10th planet. The one discovered last year, and which is larger than Pluto, is 2003 UB313, commonly known as Xena (although that is not among the names secretly submitted to the IAU as genuine candidates if the thing becomes a planet).

All the other planets (excluding Earth) are named after Roman gods, with the exception of Uranus, named after a Greek god. I think we should go Greek again this time ... and it's about time we had another female besides Venus.

So I propose 'Nyx' (primoridal Greek goddess of the night, and daughter of Chaos). The Roman equivalent is 'Nox' (which by the way is where we get 'equinox', meaning "equal-night" ... I learned that on West Wing.)

And for the moon, one of Nyx's many children: Hemera ("day"), Moros ("fate" or "doom"), or one of the three fates (Clotho, Atropos, or Lachesis), and there are many other candidates ... she had lots of children, a few of them with her brother Erebus. (By the way, Erebus would be another good name (as a constant companion) ... but who knows if we'll discover another moon someday.

Answer 2

astronomers are trying to define the word planet, but it isn't easy. many astronomers favor the reclassification of the bodies in the solar system into three groups: the rocky terrestrials, the gas giants, and the ice dwarfs. there are hundreds of known ice dwarfs including pluto, quaoar, sedna, 2003 EL61, and 2003 UB313 (the official name of xena). this is called the kuiper belt, and pluto was the first kuiper belt object discovered.

read this page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuiper_belt

Answer 3

Sedna or Xena maybe Sedna should be called Xena and Xena is called Sedna then people can get mixed up!

Answer 4

Sedna

Answer 5

It's mostly been called "Sedna" in the news services I frequent. Maybe the name will stick.

Answer 6

Already named 2003UB313. There are a number of names proposed. I like Lila.

Answer 7

I think it will never be named a planet, and Pluto will be reclassified as a Kuiper belt object, not a planet.

Answer 8

How about Pavarotti after the TENor.

I have a rare form of Tourette syndrome. It makes me say two-thirds of a pun. (P-U-)

Answer 9

Myanus... Named after Uranus. It sense to me.

Answer 10

Foton. Its weird