Planetary Names (original) (raw)
This page shows information about planetary bodies named by the IAU Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN), and about bodies named by the IAU Committee on Small Body Nomenclature that have surface features named by the WGPSN.
The IAU Minor Planet Center maintains a list of minor planet names.
Mercury
| Body | Description | Date of Discovery | Discovery Location | Discoverer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury |
Venus
| Body | Description | Date of Discovery | Discovery Location | Discoverer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venus |
Earth System
| Body | Description | Date of Discovery | Discovery Location | Discoverer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earth | ||||
| Earth I (Moon) | Every civilization has had a name for the satellite of Earth that is known, in English, as the Moon. The Moon is known as Luna in Italian, Latin, and Spanish, as Lune in French, as Mond in German, and as Selene in Greek. |
Martian System
The names of the moons of Mars and the English translations of the names were specifically proposed by their discoverer, Asaph Hall, and as such, they have been accepted and retained under the current IAU nomenclature.
| Body | Description | Date of Discovery | Discovery Location | Discoverer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mars | ||||
| Mars I (Phobos) | Inner satellite of Mars. Named for one of the horses that drew Mars' chariot; also called an "attendant" or "son" of Mars, according to chapter 15, line 119 of Homer's "Iliad." This Greek word means "flight." | August 17, 1877 | Washington | A. Hall |
| Mars II (Deimos) | This outer Martian satellite was named for one of the horses that drew Mars' chariot; also called an "attendant" or "son" of Mars, according to chapter 15, line 119 of Homer's "Iliad." Deimos means "fear" in Greek. | August 11, 1877 | Washington | A. Hall |
Selected Asteroids (of the Main Belt) and their Satellites
| Body | Description | Date of Discovery | Discovery Location | Discoverer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (433) Eros | Named for the Greek god of love. | August 13, 1898 | Berlin | C.G. Witt |
| (951) Gaspra | Named for a resort on the Crimean Peninsula. | July 30, 1916 | Simeis | G. Neujmin |
| (243) Ida | Named for a nymph who raised the infant Zeus. Ida is also the name of a mountain on the island of Crete, the location of the cave where Zeus was reared. | September 29, 1884 | Vienna | J. Palisa |
| (243) Ida I (Dactyl) | Named for a group of mythological beings who lived on Mount Ida, where the infant Zeus was hidden and raised (according to some accounts) by the nymph Ida. | August 28, 1993 | Galileo imaging and infrared science teams. | |
| (253) Mathilde | The name was suggested by a staff member of the Paris Observatory who first computed an orbit for Mathilde. The name is thought to honor the wife of the vice director of the Paris Observatory at that time. | November 12, 1885 | Vienna | J. Palisa |
| (22) Kalliope I (Linus) | Satellite of (22) Kalliope. In various accounts of Greek mythology, Linus is considered to be the son of the Muse Kalliope and the inventor of melody and rhythm. | August 29 and September 2, 2001 | Mauna Kea | J.-L. Margot, M.E. Brown, W.J. Merline, F. Menard, L. Close, C. Dumas, C.R. Chapman, and D.C. Slater |
| (45) Eugenia I (Petit-Prince) | Satellite of (45) Eugenia. The Little Prince, Napolean-Eugene-Louis-Jean-Joseph Bonaparte (1856-1879), was the son of Eugenia de Montijo de Guzm\'an and Napoleon III. | November 1, 1998 | Mauna Kea | W.J. Merline, L. Close, C. Dumas, C.R. Chapman, F. Roddier, F. Menard, D.C. Slater, G. Duvert, C. Shelton, and T. Morgan |
Jovian System
Satellites in the Jovian system are named for Zeus/Jupiter's lovers and descendants. Names of outer satellites with a prograde orbit generally end with the letter "a" (although an "o" ending has been reserved for some unusual cases), and names of satellites with a retrograde orbit end with an "e."
| Body | Description | Date of Discovery | Discovery Location | Discoverer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jupiter | ||||
| Jupiter I (Io) | Io, the daughter of Inachus, was changed by Jupiter into a cow to protect her from Hera's jealous wrath. But Hera recognized Io and sent a gadfly to torment her. Io, maddened by the fly, wandered throughout the Mediterranean region. | January 8, 1610 | Padua | Galileo (Simon Marius probably made an independent discovery of the Galilean satellites at about the same time that Galileo did, and he may have unwittingly sighted them up to a month earlier, but the priority must go to Galileo because he published his discovery first.) |
| Jupiter II (Europa) | Beautiful daughter of Agenor, king of Tyre, she was seduced by Jupiter, who had assumed the shape of a white bull. When Europa climbed on his back he swam with her to Crete, where she bore several children, including Minos. | January 8, 1610 | Padua | Galileo (who evidently observed the combined image of Io and Europa the previous night) |
| Jupiter III (Ganymede) | Beautiful young boy who was carried to Olympus by Jupiter disguised as an eagle. Ganymede then became the cupbearer of the Olympian gods. | January 7, 1610 | Padua | Galileo |
| Jupiter IV (Callisto) | Beautiful daughter of Lycaon, she was seduced by Jupiter, who changed her into a bear to protect her from Hera's jealousy. | January 7, 1610 | Padua | Galileo |
| Jupiter V (Amalthea) | A naiad who nursed the new-born Jupiter. She had as a favorite animal a goat which is said by some authors to have nourished Jupiter. The name was suggested by Flammarion. | September 9, 1892 | Mt. Hamilton | E.E. Barnard |
| Jupiter VI (Himalia) | A Rhodian nymph who bore three sons of Zeus. | December 4, 1904 | Mt. Hamilton | C.D. Perrine |
| Jupiter VII (Elara) | Daughter of King Orchomenus, a paramour of Zeus, and by him the mother of the giant Tityus. | January 3, 1905 | Mt. Hamilton | C.D. Perrine |
| Jupiter VIII (Pasiphae) | Wife of Minos, king of Crete. Zeus made approaches to her as a bull (taurus). She then gave birth to the Minotaur. (Spelling changed from Pasiphaë to Pasiphae July 2009.) | January 27, 1908 | Greenwich | P.J. Melotte |
| Jupiter IX (Sinope) | Daughter of the river god Asopus. Zeus desired to make love to her. Instead of this he granted perpetual virginity, after he had been deceived by his own promises. (In the same way, she also fooled Apollo.) | July 21, 1914 | Mt. Hamilton | S.B. Nicholson |
| Jupiter X (Lysithea) | Daughter of Kadmos, also named Semele, mother of Dionysos by Zeus. According to others, she was the daughter of Evenus and mother of Helenus by Jupiter. | July 6, 1938 | Mt. Wilson | S.B. Nicholson |
| Jupiter XI (Carme) | A nymph and attendant of Artemis; mother, by Zeus, of Britomartis. | July 30, 1938 | Mt. Wilson | S.B. Nicholson |
| Jupiter XII (Ananke) | Goddess of fate and necessity, mother of Adrastea by Zeus. | September 28, 1951 | Mt. Wilson | S.B. Nicholson |
| Jupiter XIII (Leda) | Seduced by Zeus in the form of a swan, she was the mother of Pollux and Helen. | September 11, 1974 | Palomar | C.T. Kowal |
| Jupiter XIV (Thebe) | An Egyptian king's daughter, granddaughter of Io, mother of Aigyptos by Zeus. The Egyptian city of Thebes was named after her. | March 5, 1979 | Voyager 1 | Voyager Science Team |
| Jupiter XV (Adrastea) | A nymph of Crete to whose care Rhea entrusted the infant Zeus. | July, 1979 | Voyager 2 | Voyager Science Team |
| Jupiter XVI (Metis) | First wife of Zeus. He swallowed her when she became pregnant; Athena was subsequently born from the forehead of Zeus. | March 4, 1979 | Voyager 1 | Voyager Science Team |
| Jupiter XVII (Callirrhoe) | Daughter of the river god Achelous and stepdaughter of Zeus. | October 19, 1999 | Spacewatch | J.V. Scotti, T.B. Spahr, R.S. McMillan, J.A. Larson, J. Montani, A.E. Gleason, and T. Gehrels |
| Jupiter XVIII (Themisto) | Daughter of the Arcadian river god Inachus, mother of Ister by Zeus. | September 30, 1975, rediscovered November 21, 2000 | Palomar, rediscovered at Mauna Kea | C.T. Kowal and E. Roemer (1975), and S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, Y.R. Fernandez, G. Magnier, M. Holman, B.G. Marsden, and G.V. Williams (2000). |
| Jupiter XIX (Megaclite) | Daughter of Macareus, who with Zeus gave birth to Thebe and Locrus. | November 25, 2000 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, Y.R. Fernandez, and G. Magnier |
| Jupiter XX (Taygete) | Daughter of Atlas, one of the Pleiades, mother of Lakedaimon by Zeus. | November 25, 2000 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, Y.R. Fernandez, and G. Magnier |
| Jupiter XXI (Chaldene) | Bore the son Solymos with Zeus. | November 26, 2000 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, Y.R. Fernandez, and G. Magnier |
| Jupiter XXII (Harpalyke) | Daughter and wife of Clymenus. In revenge for this incestuous relationship, she killed the son she bore him, cooked the corpse, and served it to Clymenus. She was transformed into the night bird called Chalkis, and Clymenus hanged himself. Some say that she was transformed into that bird because she had intercourse with Zeus. | November 23, 2000 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, Y.R. Fernandez, and G. Magnier |
| Jupiter XXIII (Kalyke) | Nymph who bore the handsome son Endymion with Zeus. | November 23, 2000 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, Y.R. Fernandez, and G. Magnier |
| Jupiter XXIV (Iocaste) | Wife of Laius, King of Thebes, and mother of Oedipus. After Laius was killed, Iocaste unknowingly married her own son Oedipus. When she learned that her husband was her son, she killed herself. Some say she was the mother of Agamedes by Zeus. | November 23, 2000 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, Y.R. Fernandez, and G. Magnier |
| Jupiter XXV (Erinome) | Daughter of Celes, compelled by Venus to fall in love with Jupiter. | November 23, 2000 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, Y.R. Fernandez, and G. Magnier |
| Jupiter XXVI (Isonoe) | A Danaid, bore with Zeus the son Orchomenos. | November 23, 2000 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, Y.R. Fernandez, and G. Magnier |
| Jupiter XXVII (Praxidike) | Goddess of punishment, mother of Klesios by Zeus. | November 23, 2000 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, Y.R. Fernandez, and G. Magnier |
| Jupiter XXVIII (Autonoe) | Mother of the Graces by Zeus according to some authors. | December 10, 2001 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt and J. Kleyna |
| Jupiter XXIX (Thyone) | Semele, mother of Dionysos by Zeus. She received the name of Thyone in Hades by Dionysos before he ascended up with her from there to heaven. | December 11, 2001 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt and J. Kleyna |
| Jupiter XXX (Hermippe) | Consort of Zeus and mother of Orchomenos by him. | December 9, 2001 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt and J. Kleyna |
| Jupiter XXXI (Aitne) | A Sicilian nymph, conquest of Zeus. | December 9, 2001 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt and J. Kleyna |
| Jupiter XXXII (Eurydome) | Mother of the Graces by Zeus, according to some authors. (Source: Cornutus: Theologiae Graecae compendium 15) | December 9, 2001 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt and J. Kleyna |
| Jupiter XXXIII (Euanthe) | The mother of the Graces by Zeus, according to some authors. | December 11, 2001 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt and J. Kleyna |
| Jupiter XXXIV (Euporie) | One of the Horae, a daughter of Zeus and Themis. | December 11, 2001 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt and J. Kleyna |
| Jupiter XXXV (Orthosie) | One of the Horae, a daughter of Zeus and Themis. | December 11, 2001 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt and J. Kleyna |
| Jupiter XXXVI (Sponde) | One of the Horae (Seasons), daughter of Zeus. | December 9, 2001 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt and J. Kleyna |
| Jupiter XXXVII (Kale) | One of the Graces, a daughter of Zeus, husband of Hephaistos. | December 9, 2001 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt and J. Kleyna |
| Jupiter XXXVIII (Pasithee) | One of the Graces, a daughter of Zeus. | December 11, 2001 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt and J. Kleyna |
| Jupiter XXXIX (Hegemone) | One of the Graces, a daughter of Zeus. | February 8, 2003 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard |
| Jupiter XL (Mneme) | One of the Muses, a daughter of Zeus. | February 9, 2003 | Mauna Kea | B. Gladman and L. Allen |
| Jupiter XLI (Aoede) | One of the Muses, a daughter of Zeus. | February 8, 2003 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard |
| Jupiter XLII (Thelxinoe) | One of the Muses, a daughter of Zeus. | February 9, 2003 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard |
| Jupiter XLIII (Arche) | One of the Muses, a daughter of Zeus. | October 31, 2002 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard |
| Jupiter XLIV (Kallichore) | One of the Muses, a daughter of Zeus. | February 6, 2003 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard |
| Jupiter XLV (Helike) | One of the Muses, a daughter of Zeus. | February 6, 2003 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard |
| Jupiter XLVI (Carpo) | One of the Horae, a daughter of Zeus. | February 26, 2003 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard |
| Jupiter XLVII (Eukelade) | One of the Muses, a daughter of Zeus. | February 5, 2003 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard |
| Jupiter XLVIII (Cyllene) | Daughter of Zeus, a nymph. | February 9, 2003 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard |
| Jupiter XLIX (Kore) | Daughter of Zeus and Demeter, also known as Persephone. | February 8, 2003 | Mauna Kea | S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, J. Kleyna |
| Jupiter L (Herse) | Daughter of Zeus and divine moon (Selene). | February 27, 2003 | Mauna Kea | B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, J.-M. Petit, and L. Allen |
| Jupiter LI (unnamed) | September 7, 2010 | Palomar | R. Jacobson, M. Brozovic, B. Gladman, M. Alexandersen | |
| Jupiter LII (unnamed) | September 8, 2010 | Mauna Kea | C. Veillet | |
| Jupiter LIII (Dia) | Greek meaning "She who belongs to Zeus". Dia is the daughter of Eioneus known as the divine daughter of the seashore. Zeus, disguised as a stallion, seduced Dia, who then gave birth to Peirithous. | December 5, 2000 | Mauna Kea | S. S. Sheppard, D. C. Jewitt, Y. R. Fernandez, and G. Magnier |
| Jupiter LVII (Eirene) | Daughter of Zeus and Themis, goddess of peace. | February 6, 2003 | Mauna Kea | S. S. Sheppard, D. C. Jewitt, and J. Kleyna |
| Jupiter LVIII (Philophrosyne) | Granddaughter of Zeus, daughter of Hephaestus and Aglaia, and sister of Eupheme. | February 6, 2003 | Mauna Kea | S. S. Sheppard, D. C. Jewitt, and J. Kleyna |
| Jupiter LX (Eupheme) | Granddaughter of Zeus, daughter of Hephaestus and Aglaia, and sister of Philophrosyne. | February 5, 2003 | Mauna Kea | S. S. Sheppard, D. C. Jewitt, and J. Kleyna |
| Jupiter LXII (Valetudo) | Great-granddaughter of Jupiter. Roman name for Greek Hygeia. She is the goddess of health and hygiene. | March 23, 2017 | Cerro Tololo | S. S. Sheppard |
| Jupiter LXV (Pandia) | Daughter of Zeus and the Moon goddess Selene, goddess of the full moon, and sister of Ersa. | March 23, 2017 | Cerro Tololo | S. S. Sheppard |
| Jupiter LXXI (Ersa) | Daughter of Zeus and the Moon goddess Selene, goddess of the dew, and sister of Pandia. | May 11, 2018 | Cerro Tololo | S. S. Sheppard |
Saturnian System
Satellites in the saturnian system are named for Greco-Roman titans, descendants of the titans, the Roman god of the beginning, and giants from Greco-Roman and other mythologies. Gallic, Inuit and Norse names identify three different orbit inclination groups, where inclinations are measured with respect to the ecliptic, not Saturn's equator or orbit. Retrograde satellites (those with an inclination of 90 to 180 degrees) are named for Norse giants (except for Phoebe, which was discovered long ago and is the largest). Prograde satellites with an orbit inclination of around 36 degrees are named for Gallic giants, and prograde satellites with an inclination of around 48 degrees are named for Inuit giants and spirits.
| Body | Description | Date of Discovery | Discovery Location | Discoverer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturn | ||||
| Saturn I (Mimas) | Named by Herschel's son John in the early 19th century for a Giant felled by Hephaestus (or Ares) in the war between the Titans and Olympian gods. | July 18, 1789 | Slough | W. Herschel |
| Saturn II (Enceladus) | Named by Herschel's son John for the Giant Enceladus. Enceladus was crushed by Athene in the battle between the Olympian gods and the Titans. Earth piled on top of him became the island of Sicily. | August 28, 1789 | Slough | W. Herschel |
| Saturn III (Tethys) | Cassini wished to name Tethys and the other three satellites that he discovered (Dione, Rhea, and Iapetus) for Louis XIV. However, the names used today for these satellites were applied in the early 19th century by John Herschel, who named them for Titans and Titanesses, brothers and sisters of Saturn. Tethys was the wife of Oceanus and mother of all rivers and Oceanids. | March 21, 1684 | Paris | G.D. Cassini |
| Saturn IV (Dione) | Dione was the sister of Cronos and mother (by Zeus) of Aphrodite. | March 21, 1684 | Paris | G.D. Cassini |
| Saturn V (Rhea) | A Titaness, mother of Zeus by Kronos. | December 23, 1672 | Paris | G.D. Cassini |
| Saturn VI (Titan) | Named by Huygens, who first called it "Luna Saturni." In Greek Mythology, a Giant, and one of two generations of immortal giants (Titans) of incredible strength and stamina who were overthrown by a race of younger gods, the Olympians. | March 25, 1655 | The Hague | C. Huygens |
| Saturn VII (Hyperion) | Named by Lassell for one of the Titans. | September 16, 1848 | Cambridge, MA | W.C. Bond and G.P. Bond; independently discovered September 18, 1848 at Liverpool by W. Lassell |
| Saturn VIII (Iapetus) | Named by John Herschel for one of the Titans. | October 25, 1671 | Paris | G.D. Cassini |
| Saturn IX (Phoebe) | Named by Pickering for one of the Titanesses. | August 16, 1898 | Arequipa | W.H. Pickering |
| Saturn X (Janus) | First reported (though with an incorrect orbital period) and named by A. Dollfus from observations in Dec. 1966, this satellite was finally confirmed in 1980. It was proven to have a twin, Epimetheus, sharing the same orbit but never actually meeting. It is named for the Roman god of the beginning. The two-faced god could look forward and backward at the same time. | December 15, 1966 (Dollfus), February 19, 1980 (Pascu) | Pic du Midi (Dollfus), Washington (Pascu) | A. Dollfus (1966), D. Pascu (1980) |
| Saturn XI (Epimetheus) | First suspected by J. Fountain and S. Larson as confusing the detection of Janus. They assigned the correct orbital period, and the satellite was finally confirmed in 1980. Named for the son of the Titan Iapetus. In contrast with his far-sighted brother Prometheus, he "subsequently realized" that he was in the wrong. | 1977 (Fountain and Larson), February 26, 1980 (Cruikshank) | Tucson (Fountain and Larson), Mauna Kea (Cruikshank) | J. Fountain and S. Larson (1977), D. Cruikshank (1980) |
| Saturn XII (Helene) | A granddaughter of Kronos, for her beauty she triggered off the Trojan War. | March 1, 1980 | Pic du Midi | P. Laques and J. Lecacheux |
| Saturn XIII (Telesto) | Daughter of the Titans Oceanus and Tethys. | April 8, 1980 | Tucson | B.A. Smith, H. Reitsema, S.M. Larson, and J. Fountain |
| Saturn XIV (Calypso) | Daughter of the Titans Oceanus and Tethys and paramour of Odysseus. | March 13, 1980 | Flagstaff | D. Pascu, P.K. Seidelmann, W. Baum, and D. Currie |
| Saturn XV (Atlas) | A Titan; he held the heavens on his shoulders. | October 1980 | Voyager 1 | Voyager Science Team |
| Saturn XVI (Prometheus) | Son of the Titan Iapetus, brother of Atlas and Epimetheus, he gave many gifts to humanity, including fire. | October 1980 | Voyager 1 | Voyager Science Team |
| Saturn XVII (Pandora) | Made of clay by Hephaestus at the request of Zeus. She married Epimetheus and opened the box that loosed a host of plagues upon humanity. | October 1980 | Voyager 1 | Voyager Science Team |
| Saturn XVIII (Pan) | Greek god of pastoralism, he was half goat and half human. Son of Hermes, brother of Daphnis, and a descendant of the Titans. Discovered orbiting in the Encke division in Saturn's A ring. | 1990 | Voyager 2 | M.R. Showalter |
| Saturn XIX (Ymir) | Ymir is the primordial Norse giant and the progenitor of the race of frost giants. | August 7, 2000 | La Silla | B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, J.-M. Petit, H. Scholl, M. Holman, B.G. Marsden, P. Nicholson and J.A. Burns |
| Saturn XX (Paaliaq) | Named for an Inuit giant. | August 7, 2000 | La Silla | B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, J.-M. Petit, H. Scholl, M. Holman, B.G. Marsden, P. Nicholson and J.A. Burns |
| Saturn XXI (Tarvos) | Named for a Gallic giant. | September 23, 2000 | Mauna Kea | B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, J.-M. Petit, H. Scholl, M. Holman, B.G. Marsden, P. Nicholson and J.A. Burns |
| Saturn XXII (Ijiraq) | Named for an Inuit giant. | September 23, 2000 | Mauna Kea | B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, J.-M. Petit, H. Scholl, M. Holman, B.G. Marsden, P. Nicholson and J.A. Burns |
| Saturn XXIII (Suttungr) | Norse giant who possessed the mead of poetry; Gunnlod’s father. | September 23, 2000 | Mauna Kea | B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, J.-M. Petit, H. Scholl, M. Holman, B.G. Marsden, P. Nicholson and J.A. Burns |
| Saturn XXIV (Kiviuq) | Named for an Inuit giant. | August 7, 2000 | La Silla | B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, J.-M. Petit, H. Scholl, M. Holman, B.G. Marsden, P. Nicholson and J.A. Burns |
| Saturn XXV (Mundilfari) | Named for an Norse giant. | September 23, 2000 | Mauna Kea | B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, J.-M. Petit, H. Scholl, M. Holman, B.G. Marsden, P. Nicholson and J.A. Burns |
| Saturn XXVI (Albiorix) | Named for a Gallic giant who was considered to be the king of the world. | November 9, 2000 | Mt. Hopkins | M. Holman |
| Saturn XXVII (Skathi) | Named for a Norse giantess. | September 23, 2000 | Mauna Kea | B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, J.-M. Petit, H. Scholl, M. Holman, B.G. Marsden, P. Nicholson and J.A. Burns |
| Saturn XXVIII (Erriapus) | Named for a Gallic giant. | September 23, 2000 | Mauna Kea | B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, J.-M. Petit, H. Scholl, M. Holman, B.G. Marsden, P. Nicholson and J.A. Burns |
| Saturn XXIX (Siarnaq) | Named for an Inuit giant. | September 23, 2000 | Mauna Kea | B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, J.-M. Petit, H. Scholl, M. Holman, B.G. Marsden, P. Nicholson and J.A. Burns |
| Saturn XXX (Thrymr) | Named for a Norse giant. | September 23, 2000 | Mauna Kea | B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, J.-M. Petit, H. Scholl, M. Holman, B.G. Marsden, P. Nicholson and J.A. Burns |
| Saturn XXXI (Narvi) | Named for a Norse giant. | February 5, 2003 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, and J. Kleyna |
| Saturn XXXII (Methone) | One of the Alkyonides, the seven beautiful daughters of the Giant Alkyoneos. | June 1, 2004 | Cassini Imaging Science Team | |
| Saturn XXXIII (Pallene) | One of the Alkyonides, the seven beautiful daughters of the Giant Alkyoneos. | June 1, 2004 | Cassini Imaging Science Team | |
| Saturn XXXIV (Polydeuces) | Twin brother of Castor, son of Zeus and Leda. | October 21, 2004 | Cassini Imaging Science Team | |
| Saturn XXXV (Daphnis) | Shepherd, pipes player, and pastoral poet in Greek mythology. Son of Hermes, brother of Pan, and decendant of the Titans. Discovered orbiting in the Keeler gap in Saturn's A ring. | May 1, 2005 | Cassini Imaging Science Team | |
| Saturn XXXVI (Aegir) | Norse ocean giant who represents the peaceful sea, a stiller of storms. | December 12, 2004 | Mauna Kea | S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, J. Kleyna |
| Saturn XXXVII (Bebhionn) | Beautiful Celtic giantess. | December 12, 2004 | Mauna Kea | S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, J. Kleyna |
| Saturn XXXVIII (Bergelmir) | Norse frost giant, son of Ymir and one of the Hrimthursar, one of only two members of the frost giant race to escape being drowned in Ymir's blood. | December 12, 2004 | Mauna Kea | S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, J. Kleyna |
| Saturn XXXIX (Bestla) | Norse primeval goddess, mother of deities, daughter of the giant Bolthorn. | December 13, 2004 | Mauna Kea | S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, J. Kleyna |
| Saturn XL (Farbauti) | Norse storm giant, father of Loki. | December 12, 2004 | Mauna Kea | S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, J. Kleyna |
| Saturn XLI (Fenrir) | Norse monstrous wolf, son of Loki and the giantess Angurboda, father of Hati and Skoll. | December 13, 2004 | Mauna Kea | S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, J. Kleyna |
| Saturn XLII (Fornjot) | Early Norse storm giant, father of Aegir, Kari, and Loge. | December 12, 2004 | Mauna Kea | S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, J. Kleyna |
| Saturn XLIII (Hati) | Gigantic Norse wolf, twin of Skoll. | December 12, 2004 | Mauna Kea | S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, J. Kleyna |
| Saturn XLIV (Hyrrokkin) | Norse giantess who launched Balder's funeral ship. (Spelling changed from Hyrokkin.) | December 12, 2004 | Mauna Kea | S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, J. Kleyna |
| Saturn XLV (Kari) | Norse wind giant. | January 4, 2006 | Mauna Kea | S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, J. Kleyna |
| Saturn XLVI (Loge) | Norse fire giant, son of Fornjot. | January 5, 2006 | Mauna Kea | S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, J. Kleyna |
| Saturn XLVII (Skoll) | Gigantic Norse wolf, twin of Hati. | January 5, 2006 | Mauna Kea | S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, J. Kleyna |
| Saturn XLVIII (Surtur) | Norse leader of the fire giants. | January 5, 2006 | Mauna Kea | S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, J. Kleyna |
| Saturn XLIX (Anthe) | One of the Alkyonides, the seven beautiful daughters of the Giant Alkyoneos. | May 30, 2007 | Cassini Imaging Science Team | |
| Saturn L (Jarnsaxa) | Norse giantess and Thor's lover. | January 5, 2006 | Mauna Kea | S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewittt, J. Kleyna |
| Saturn LI (Greip) | Norse giantess. | January 5, 2006 | Mauna Kea | S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewittt, J. Kleyna |
| Saturn LII (Tarqeq) | Inuit moon spirit. | January 16, 2007 | Mauna Kea | S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewittt, J. Kleyna |
| Saturn LIII (Aegaeon) | Greek hundred-armed giant, called Briareus by the gods. | August 15, 2008 | Cassini Imaging Science Team | |
| Saturn LIV (Gridr) | Norse giantess, consort of Odin, who warned Thor of Geirrod's treachery and equipped Thor with her belt, iron glove, and staff. | December 12, 2004 | Mauna Kea | S. S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna |
| Saturn LV (Angrboda) | Norse giantess who is the consort of Loki and mother of monsters. | December 12, 2004 | Mauna Kea | S. S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna |
| Saturn LVI (Skrymir) | Norse giant who is the master of illusions. | December 12, 2004 | Mauna Kea | S. S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna |
| Saturn LVII (Gerd) | Norse giantess, consort of Freyr. She is the personification of fertile soil. | December 12, 2004 | Mauna Kea | S. S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna |
| Saturn LIX (Eggther) | Norse giant, watchman of the giants, who announces the beginning of Ragnarok. | December 12, 2004 | Mauna Kea | S. S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna |
| Saturn LXI (Beli) | Norse giant who was killed by Freyr with a staghorn. | December 12, 2004 | Mauna Kea | S. S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna |
| Saturn LXII (Gunnlod) | Norse giantess, daughter of Suttungr, for whom she guards the mead of poetry. | December 12, 2004 | Mauna Kea | S. S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna |
| Saturn LXIII (Thiazzi) | Norse giant, son of Alvaldi, who kidnapped Idun, guardian of the apples of the gods. | December 12, 2004 | Mauna Kea | S. S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna |
| Saturn LXV (Alvaldi) | Norse giant, father of Thiazzi. He was very rich in gold, with his sons dividing amongst themselves by taking a mouthful of gold each. | December 12, 2004 | Mauna Kea | S. S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna |
| Saturn LXVI (Geirrod) | Norse giant who was an enemy of and was killed by Thor. | December 12, 2004 | Mauna Kea | S. S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna |
Uranian System
Satellites in the uranian system are named for characters from Shakespeare's plays and from Pope's "Rape of the Lock."
| Body | Description | Date of Discovery | Discovery Location | Discoverer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uranus | March 13, 1781 | Bath | W. Herschel | |
| Uranus I (Ariel) | Named by John Herschel for a sylph in Pope's "Rape of the Lock." | October 24, 1851 | Liverpool | W. Lassell |
| Uranus II (Umbriel) | Umbriel was named by John Herschel for a malevolent spirit in Pope's "Rape of the Lock." | October 24, 1851 | Liverpool | W. Lassell |
| Uranus III (Titania) | Named by Herschel's son John in early 19th century for the queen of the fairies in Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream." | January 11, 1787 | Slough | W. Herschel |
| Uranus IV (Oberon) | Named by Herschel's son John in early 19th century for the king of the fairies in Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream." | January 11, 1787 | Slough | W. Herschel |
| Uranus V (Miranda) | Named by Kuiper for the heroine of Shakespeare's "The Tempest." | February 16, 1948 | Fort Davis | G.P. Kuiper |
| Uranus VI (Cordelia) | Daughter of Lear in Shakespeare's "King Lear." | January 20, 1986 | Voyager 2 | Voyager Science Team |
| Uranus VII (Ophelia) | Daughter of Polonius, fiance of Hamlet in Shakespeare's "Hamlet, Prince of Denmark." | January 20, 1986 | Voyager 2 | Voyager Science Team |
| Uranus VIII (Bianca) | Daughter of Baptista, sister of Kate, in Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew." | January 23, 1986 | Voyager 2 | Voyager Science Team |
| Uranus IX (Cressida) | Title character in Shakespeare's "Troilus and Cressida." | January 9, 1986 | Voyager 2 | Voyager Science Team |
| Uranus X (Desdemona) | Wife of Othello in Shakespeare's "Othello, the Moor of Venice." | January 13, 1986 | Voyager 2 | Voyager Science Team |
| Uranus XI (Juliet) | Heroine of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet." | January 3, 1986 | Voyager 2 | Voyager Science Team |
| Uranus XII (Portia) | Wife of Brutus in Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar." | January 3, 1986 | Voyager 2 | Voyager Science Team |
| Uranus XIII (Rosalind) | Daughter of the banished duke in Shakespeare's "As You Like It." | January 13, 1986 | Voyager 2 | Voyager Science Team |
| Uranus XIV (Belinda) | Character in Pope's "Rape of the Lock." | January 13, 1986 | Voyager 2 | Voyager Science Team |
| Uranus XV (Puck) | Mischievous spirit in Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream." | December 30, 1985 | Voyager 2 | Voyager Science Team |
| Uranus XVI (Caliban) | Named for the grotesque, brutish slave in Shakespeare's "The Tempest." | September 6, 1997 | Palomar | B. Gladman, P. Nicholson, J.A. Burns and J. Kavelaars |
| Uranus XVII (Sycorax) | Named for Caliban's mother in Shakespeare's "The Tempest." | September 6, 1997 | Palomar | P. Nicholson, B. Gladman, J. Burns and J. Kavelaars |
| Uranus XVIII (Prospero) | Named for the rightful Duke of Milan in "The Tempest." | July 18, 1999 | Mauna Kea | M. Holman, J. Kavelaars, B. Gladman, J.-M. Petit, and H. Scholl |
| Uranus XIX (Setebos) | Setebos was a new-world (South American) deity's name that Shakespeare popularized as Sycorax's god in "The Tempest." | July 18, 1999 | Mauna Kea | J. Kavelaars, B. Gladman, M. Holman, J.-M. Petit, and H. Scholl |
| Uranus XX (Stephano) | Named for a drunken butler in "The Tempest." | July 18, 1999 | Mauna Kea | B. Gladman, M. Holman, J. Kavelaars, J.-M. Petit, and H. Scholl |
| Uranus XXI (Trinculo) | A jester in Shakespeare's "The Tempest." | August 13, 2001 | Cerro Tololo | M. Holman, J.J. Kavelaars and D. Milisavljevic |
| Uranus XXII (Francisco) | A lord in "The Tempest." | August 13, 2001 | Cerro Tololo | J. Kavelaars, M. Holman, D. Milisavljevic, and T. Grav |
| Uranus XXIII (Margaret) | A gentlewoman attending on Hero from "Much Ado About Nothing." | August 29, 2003 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt |
| Uranus XXIV (Ferdinand) | Son of the King of Naples in "The Tempest." | August 13, 2001 | Cerro Tololo | D. Milisavljevic, M. Holman, J. Kavelaars, and T. Grav |
| Uranus XXV (Perdita) | Daughter of Leontes and Hermione in "The Winter's Tale." | January 18, 1986 | Voyager 2 | E. Karkoschka |
| Uranus XXVI (Mab) | The fairies' midwife in "Romeo and Juliet." | August 25, 2003 | Hubble Space Telescope | M.R. Showalter and J.J. Lissauer |
| Uranus XXVII (Cupid) | A character in "Timon of Athens." | August 25, 2003 | Hubble Space Telescope | M.R. Showalter and J.J. Lissauer |
Neptunian System
Satellites in the neptunian system are named for characters from Greek or Roman mythology associated with Neptune or Poseidon or the oceans. Irregular satellites are named for the Nereids, the daughters of Nereus and Doris, and the attendants of Neptune.
| Body | Description | Date of Discovery | Discovery Location | Discoverer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neptune | September 23, 1846 | Berlin | J.G. Galle | |
| Neptune I (Triton) | Triton is named for the sea-god son of Poseidon (Neptune) and Amphitrite. The first suggestion of the name Triton has been attributed to the French astronomer Camille Flammarion. | October 10, 1846 | Liverpool | W. Lassell |
| Neptune II (Nereid) | The Nereids were the fifty daughters of the sea god Nereus and Doris and were attendants of Poseidon (Neptune). | May 1, 1949 | Fort Davis | G.P. Kuiper |
| Neptune III (Naiad) | The name of a group of Greek water nymphs who were guardians of lakes, fountains, springs, and rivers. | August 1989 | Voyager 2 | Voyager Science Team |
| Neptune IV (Thalassa) | Greek sea goddess. Mother of Aphrodite in some legends; others say she bore the Telchines. | August 1989 | Voyager 2 | Voyager Science Team |
| Neptune V (Despina) | Daughter of Poseidon (Neptune) and Demeter. | July 1989 | Voyager 2 | Voyager Science Team |
| Neptune VI (Galatea) | One of the Nereids, attendants of Poseidon. | July 1989 | Voyager 2 | Voyager Science Team |
| Neptune VII (Larissa) | A lover of Poseidon. After the discovery by Voyager, it was established that an occultation of a star by this satellite had been fortuitously observed in 1981 by H. Reitsema, W. Hubbard, L. Lebofsky, and D. J. Tholen. | July 1989 | Voyager 2 | Voyager Science Team |
| Neptune VIII (Proteus) | Greek sea god, son of Oceanus and Tethys. | June 1989 | Voyager 2 | Voyager Science Team |
| Neptune IX (Halimede) | One of the Nereids, the fifty daughters of Nereus and Doris. | August 14, 2002 | Cerro Tololo | M. Holman, J. Kavelaars, T. Grav, W. Fraser, and D. Milisavljevic |
| Neptune X (Psamathe) | One of the Nereids, lover of Aeacus and mother of Phocus. | August 29, 2003 | Mauna Kea | S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, and J. Kleyna |
| Neptune XI (Sao) | One of the Nereids, the fifty daughters of Nereus and Doris. | August 14, 2002 | Cerro Tololo | T. Grav, M. Holman, J. Kavelaars, W. Fraser, and D. Milisavljevic |
| Neptune XII (Laomedeia) | One of the Nereids, the fifty daughters of Nereus and Doris. | August 13, 2002 | Cerro Tololo | J. Kavelaars, M. Holman, T. Grav, W. Fraser, and D. Milisavljevic |
| Neptune XIII (Neso) | One of the Nereids, the fifty daughters of Nereus and Doris. | August 14, 2002 | Cerro Tololo | M. Holman, J. Kavelaars, T. Grav, W. Fraser, and D. Milisavljevic |
| Neptune XIV (Hippocamp) | Mythical seahorse in Greek mythology, a symbol of Poseidon. | July 15, 2013 | Hubble Space Telescope | M. Showalter, I. de Pater, T. Grav, J. J. Lissauer, and R. S. French |
Dwarf Planets and their Systems
IAU Resolutions 5 and 6, "Definition of a Planet in the Solar System" AND "Pluto"
IAU Press Release from the 2006 General Assembly "Result of the IAU Resolution Votes"
IAU "Naming Astronomical Objects"
IAU Press Release "Plutoid chosen as name for Solar System objects like Pluto"
Ceres
| Body | Description | Date of Discovery | Discovery Location | Discoverer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (1) Ceres | Roman goddess of corn and harvests. | January 1, 1801 | Palermo Astronomical Observatory | Giuseppe Piazzi |
Pluto
Satellites in the plutonian system are named for characters and creatures in the myths surrounding Pluto (Greek Hades) and the classical Greek and Roman Underworld.
| Body | Description | Date of Discovery | Discovery Location | Discoverer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (134340) Pluto | Pluto was discovered at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, AZ during a systematic search for a trans-Neptune planet predicted by Percival Lowell and William H. Pickering. Named after the Roman god of the underworld who was able to render himself invisible. | January 23, 1930 | Flagstaff | C.W. Tombaugh |
| (134340) Pluto I (Charon) | Named after the Greek mythological boatman who ferried souls across the river Styx to Pluto for judgement. | April 13, 1978 | Flagstaff | J.W. Christy |
| (134340) Pluto II (Nix) | Goddess of darkness and night, mother of Charon. (Nix is the Egyptian spelling of the Greek name Nyx.) | May 15, 2005 | Hubble Space Telescope | H.A. Weaver, S.A. Stern, M.J. Mutchler, A.J. Steffl, M.W. Buie, W.J. Merline, J.R. Spencer, E.F. Young, and L.A. Young |
| (134340) Pluto III (Hydra) | In Greek mythology, terrifying monster with the body of a serpent and nine heads that guarded the underworld. | May 15, 2005 | Hubble Space Telescope | H.A. Weaver, S.A. Stern, M.J. Mutchler, A.J. Steffl, M.W. Buie, W.J. Merline, J.R. Spencer, E.F. Young, and L.A. Young |
| (134340) Pluto IV (Kerberos) | In Greek mythology, the many-headed dog that guarded the entrance to the underworld. | June 28, 2011 | Hubble Space Telescope | M.R. Showalter, D.P. Hamilton, S.A. Stern, H.A. Weaver, A.J. Steffl, and L.A. Young |
| (134340) Pluto V (Styx) | Greek goddess who ruled over the underworld river also named Styx. | June 26, 2012 | Hubble Space Telescope | M.R. Showalter, H.A. Weaver, S.A. Stern, A.J. Steffl, M.W. Buie, W.J. Merline, M.J. Mutchler, R. Soummer, and H.B. Throop |
Haumea
| Body | Description | Date of Discovery | Discovery Location | Discoverer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (136108) Haumea | Hawaiian goddess of childbirth and fertility. | March 7, 2003 | Sierra Nevada Observatory, Spain | |
| (136108) Haumea I (Hi'iaka) | Daughter of Haumea, patron goddess of the island of Hawaii and of hula dancers. | January 26, 2005 | Keck Observatory, Mauna Kea | M.E. Brown and the adaptive-optics team |
| (136108) Haumea II (Namaka) | Daughter of Haumea, water spirit in Hawaiian mythology. | November 7, 2005 | Keck Observatory, Mauna Kea | M.E. Brown and the adaptive-optics team |
Eris
| Body | Description | Date of Discovery | Discovery Location | Discoverer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (136199) Eris | Greek goddess of discord and strife. | October 21, 2003 | Palomar Observatory | M.E. Brown, C.A. Trujillo, and D. Rabinowitz |
| (136199) Eris I (Dysnomia) | Eris' daughter, spirit of lawlessness. | September 10, 2005 | Keck Observatory, Mauna Kea | M.E. Brown and the adaptive-optics team |
Makemake
| Body | Description | Date of Discovery | Discovery Location | Discoverer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (136472) Makemake | Polynesian (Rapa Nui/Easter Island) creator god. | March 31, 2005 | Palomar Observatory | M.E. Brown, C.A. Trujillo, and D.L. Rabinowitz |