Okay, I know you have bigger things to think of than this, but my little boy, who has Asperger's, (a type of autism that includes obsessive thought patterns), really wants to know--if residents of Mars would be Martians, and residents of Earth are earthlings, what would we call residents of Jupiter--Jovians? Jupiterians? He is not going to let this go until I can get an "official" answer. Thank you in advance.
2007-11-30 07:04:06 · 15 answers · asked by ? 6 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Edit--Richard R, your assumption is quite correct; however, he wants to know what he can call hypothetical residents of the planet. Don't ask me why; it's an Aspie thing.
2007-11-30 07:30:17 · update #1
As far as I know it goes like this:
Planets:
Mercury = mercurian or mercurean (adjective), mercurian / mercurians or mercurean / mercureans (noun)
Venus = venusian (adjective), venusian / venusians (noun)
Earth = terran (adjective), terran / terrans or earthling / earthlings (noun)
Mars = martian (adjective), martian / martians (noun)
Jupiter = jovian (adjective), jovian / jovians (noun)
Saturn = saturnian (adjective), saturnian / saturnians (noun)
Uranus = uranian (adjective), uranian / uranians (noun)
Neptune = neptunian (adjective), neptunian / neptunians (noun)
Pluto = plutonian (adjective), plutonian / plutonians (noun)
Moons:
Moon (satellite of Earth) = lunar (adjective), no commonly used noun although selenite / selenites is often used
Europa (satellite of Jupiter) = no commonly used adjective or noun, although 'europan' may be used
Io (satellite of Jupiter) = ionian (adjective), ionian / ionians (noun)
Callisto (satellite of Jupiter) = callistoan or callistan (adjective), callistoan / callistoans or callistan / callistans (noun)
Ganymede (satellite of Jupiter) = no commonly used adjective or noun, 'ganymedean' is probably the closest word available
Titan (satellite of Saturn) = no commonly used adjective or noun, 'titanian' is probably the closest word available
Some stars also have their own associated adjectives and nouns, such as:
Alpha Centauri = centaurian (adjective), centaurian / centaurians (noun)
Vega = vegan (adjective), vegan / vegans (noun) (note that the word 'vegan' is sometimes also used to mean a strictly vegetarian person)
Regulus = regulan (adjective), regulan / regulans (noun)
Betelgeuse = betelgeusean (adjective), betelgeusean / betelgeuseans (noun)
You can see some examples of adjectives and common nouns associated with stellar objects here:
http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1526508
2007-11-30 08:00:45 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
I've been reading science fiction since 1960 and the only term I can remember is Jovians. The other posters are correct in that that term could be used for the inhabitants of the other 3 gas giants. I have never seen a novel use "Jupiterians". It just doesn't sound right. My feeling is that if intelligent inhabitants of Jupiter were ever discovered cavorting in the clouds, we would attempt to use the word they call themselves rather than a word based on Roman mythology. It seems like the polite thing to do.
2007-11-30 07:25:36 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
Hi. I would explain that in the pattern of our thoughts, all inhabitants of a planet should have the planet in their names. Mercurians, Venusians, Earthlings, Martians, Jupiterians, Saturnians, Uranians, and Neptunians. Plutonians would also follow this form, whether it's a planet or not. Tell him that was a good question!
2007-11-30 07:49:27 · answer #3 · answered by Cirric 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
In some of the science fiction I've read, they were called Jovians. Is that sufficiently official? Then of course there would also be Mercurians or Mercutians, Venusians, Saturnians, Uranians, Neptunians, and Plutonians. My best to you and your boy. Your whole family!
2007-11-30 16:24:26 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
As a totally unofficial non-expert in the field, I have considered the term "Jovian" to be correct since I first started thinking about it some 54 years ago. I think Arthur C. Clarke, Robert Heinlein, and Clifford D. Simak would agree.
2007-11-30 08:02:17 · answer #5 · answered by Larry454 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
All things Jupiter are referred to as Jovian I believe. Actually, all the gas giants in our solar system (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) are sometimes referred to as the "Jovian" planets. Jove is the English translation of the name Jupiter I believe.
2007-11-30 07:08:38 · answer #6 · answered by kyeri y 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
If there were creatures or beings on the planet mars it would be that the surface is solid that they could walk..shuffle or crawl. The planet Jupiter has a thick layer of gas and no one or beings could settle on it and the same applies to the planet Saturn or even ride a bike on it's rings.
2007-11-30 07:26:34 · answer #7 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
the residents of jupiter are called jupiterians
2007-11-30 16:58:31 · answer #8 · answered by mauripaladi 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Your son can find answers to most of his questions by learning to use a dictionary. Asperger's is no obstacle to using a dictionary. Let him try the link below and substitute names for residents of the other planets.
2007-11-30 07:58:26 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Jupiterlings.
P.S. I have Asperger's and I made a video on it that you wil love to see heres the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbgUjmeC-4o
2007-12-01 23:31:44 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋