Far Out and Outta Sight Celestial Names

In addition to the eight planets in our solar system, there are also more than a million minor planets, including five so-called dwarf planets, plus hundreds of thousands of asteroids. When an astronomer or amateur stargazer discovers one, they get to give it an official name according to certain conventions. For example, the proposed name must be no longer than 16 letters, and family pets’ monikers are also discouraged. The Dictionary of Minor Planet Names(Amazon) provides a fascinating look at how those choices reflect the discoverer’s interests and values. Among the minor planets names: Dizzy and MilesDavis(named for jazz artists Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis), FannyHensel (named for the sister of Felix Mendelssohn, an accomplished composer herself), and Oscarwilde, named for the poet who once observed that ‘“we are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” This is part of a complete episode.