If you read my previous post on the RadioLab / IAU story of quasi-moon named Zoozve and the contest to name another quasi-moon, you may be happy to hear that the finalists have been selected and it is time to vote!
Although I thought my submission, Zephyrus, was a great name for a quasi-moon, unfortunately the panel reviewing the submissions didn't select it. But given they had over 2,700 entries to pick from, I guess my odds were pretty long anyway. 😲
Here are the names they selected as finalists:
- Bakunawa - a mythical dragon from Philippine folklore
- Cardea - the Roman goddess of doorways and transitions
- Ehaema - the "Mother Twilight" from Estonian lore
- Enkidu - the wild and noble companion from the ancient Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh
- Ótr - a shape-shifting dwarf from Norse mythology
- Tarriaksuk - shadow beings of Inuit legend that mirror human forms yet dwell in another dimension
- Tecciztecatl - an Aztec lunar god who once aspired to be the sun
You can read more about the contest on the RadioLab site as well as see the detailed submissions and biographies of the panel.
Care to join me in voting for one of these 7 to be selected as the formal name of quasi-moon currently known as (164207) 2004 GU9? We have until January 1st, 2025. You can cast your vote here!
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| Name a Quasi-moon! |
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Not to influence anyone else's vote, but I've voted for Tarriaksuk. Of all the finalists, the rationale submitted for it resonated the most with my understanding of the characteristics of a quasi-moon.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I noticed about some of the other finalists is that a few have some modern cultural footprint, particularly in gaming, music, art (e.g., Ótr, Bakunawa). I can see how on the one hand that might add to the cache of picking one of them - unlike some of the more obscure names (at least in Western culture), the ones already known and popular would have an existing audience excited by the choice. On the other hand, perhaps some of the lesser-known names - ones that represent cultures not already well-represented in naming of objects in space - then those cultures would get broader exposure.
What are your thoughts about the finalist names? Have one picked out to vote for, yet?