A large icy object that helped spark the debate over Pluto鈥檚 status has officially been named Eris, after the Greek goddess of discord.
The object had been known as 2003 UB313 since its discovery was reported in 2005 by Mike Brown of Caltech in Pasadena, US. It is slightly larger than Pluto, which prompted Brown and others to refer to it as the 鈥榯enth planet鈥� and generated debate about what should be considered a planet.
Now, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) has settled on an official definition of planet, which demotes Pluto to a new category of 鈥渄warf planets鈥�.
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The IAU has now approved Brown鈥檚 suggested name, Eris, for the dwarf planet formerly known as 2003 UB313. In Greek mythology, Eris caused a fight over a golden apple, which led to the Trojan War.
Goddess of lawlessness
The IAU has also approved Brown鈥檚 suggested name of Dysnomia for Eris鈥檚 satellite, which is about one-tenth Eris鈥檚 size (see Moon discovered orbiting tenth planet). Dysnomia is the goddess of lawlessness and Eris鈥檚 daughter in Greek mythology.
鈥淪ome of us felt it was quite an amusing name in view of what it actually means,鈥� says Brian Marsden, former director of the IAU鈥檚 Minor Planet Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, US, which is responsible for keeping official lists of solar system objects. Marsden serves on the IAU committee responsible for naming dwarf planets.
Before Eris was officially named, Brown had nicknamed the object 鈥淴ena鈥� after a television character. But he did not try to have that name officially approved, according to Tim Spahr, interim director of the MPC.
鈥淭hat was just an affectionate name that was used,鈥� Spahr told New Scientist. 鈥淎 lot of people name objects before they receive an official name. He didn鈥檛 even suggest that for an official name.鈥�
