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Pluto's New Moons Named Nix and Hydra

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the nice-kitten-names-too dept.

Dean W, Armstrong writes "Pluto's two new satellites, previously identified as S/2005 P 2 and S/2005 P 1, received official names from the International Astronomical Union today. Nix and Hydra are named after the mother of Charon and the fierce nine-headed monster. The initials of the new names, N and H, call to mind the New Horizons spacecraft, on a fast trajectory to visit Pluto, just like Pluto's symbol calls to mind Percival Lowell."

15 of 110 comments (clear)

  1. Compromise by tekisama · · Score: 5, Funny

    This was after Goofy and Minnie were rejected.

    1. Re:Compromise by schon · · Score: 2, Funny

      This was after Goofy and Minnie were rejected.

      Mickey Mouse decided he wanted a divorce, so he went to see a lawyer. He ranted and ranted for hours about Minnie, and the lawyer (who was paid by the hour, of course) sat silently until Mickey had finished his tirade.

      Once Mickey had calmed down a bit, the lawyer said "Well, Mr. Mouse, while I can certainly sympathize with you, I'm afraid you can't divorce your wife just because you think she's a bit strange."

      Mikey became enraged - he jumped up on the lawyer's desk and screamed "You idiot! I didn't say she was strange, I said she was fucking Goofy!"

  2. Must remember not to holiday there. by celardore · · Score: 3, Funny

    Moons named after the ferryman of the dead's mothers place, and a "fierce nine-headed monster" doesn't sound like a good place to be! I'll probably never pass through there on my way though, it's not on my route.

    1. Re:Must remember not to holiday there. by tekisama · · Score: 4, Funny

      As if the temperatures below 50 Kelvins wasn't a deterrent. Besides, one is only like 40 miles across. Enough space for an Arco station and a Starbucks.

    2. Re:Must remember not to holiday there. by Red+Flayer · · Score: 4, Funny
      Besides, one is only like 40 miles across. Enough space for an Arco station and a Starbucks.
      Where have you been? 40 miles is enough space for at least 80 Starbucks. More if you've got a mall on the moon.
      --
      "Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
  3. So when they nix the next Pluto mission... by jd · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...the're really meaning it'll go to the moon instead?

    --
    It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
  4. what about bob? by blinder · · Score: 3, Funny

    no really!
    bob. yeah, not as catchy if the entire planet were called "bob" but still!

    bob the moon.

    --
    sad robot making broken music
  5. Unix by Dachannien · · Score: 5, Funny

    They originally wanted to name it Unix, but SCO threatened to sue.

  6. Must. Resist. Setup. by Quiet_Desperation · · Score: 3, Funny
    I have a hydra in my lap, and it ain't a computer.

    (rimshot)

    Thank you!

    1. Re:Must. Resist. Setup. by wildsurf · · Score: 2, Funny

      I have a hydra in my lap, and it ain't a computer.

      Don't tell me: Your pants fit you like a glove.

      --
      Weeks of coding saves hours of planning.
  7. Oh, you mean hydra. by AltGrendel · · Score: 4, Funny
    I thought you wrote "Hydrant"

    Pluto could use a hydrant.

    --
    The simple truth is that interstellar distances will not fit into the human imagination

    - Douglas Adams

  8. Re:Pluto? Hydra? by eln · · Score: 5, Funny

    One orbits around the other.

  9. When the Chinese Moon Missions sends a rocket by WillAffleckUW · · Score: 5, Funny

    to Pluto, maybe Cosmonaut Li can land on Nix.

    Li nix - a good thing.

    --
    -- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
    1. Re:When the Chinese Moon Missions sends a rocket by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      You know if that happened, Stallman would rename it GNU/nix.

  10. This should be fun... by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 1, Funny

    What's going to happen to dear old Nix when Pluto is nixed as a planet? The traditionalists will probably sick a hydra on those who dare say Pluto is not a planet.