"Xena" To Be Named Eris

rdwald writes, "After over a year of hanging in maybe-planet limbo, newly-classified 2003 UB313, nicknamed Xena, now has a permanent name: Eris, goddess of strife. Its moon will be named Dysnomia, after the goddess of lawlessness — in Greek mythology, Eris's daughter — certainly not a reference there... I don't think I'm alone when I say, 'Hail Eris! All hail Discordia!'" In the same IAU announcement (PDF), Pluto was given its official minor planet number: 134340.

Comments

DNA said it best

[MichaelSmith]

You cant use that popular name. We will give it our own name so that you know that its ours, not yours.

Or something like that. My copy is upstairs and I can't be bothered to check.

Why not Xena?

[Bob_Villa]

She was a great 'warrior' in her own right, I loved watching her show.
Especially those outfits, that was one of the best parts. I can never get my wife to wear things like that.

You will be missed, Xena.

First planet named after an IRC network!

[Tillmann]

Hi,

sweet! First planet named after an IRC network!
Long live EFnet!

bye,
Till

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Hail Eris

[PakProtector]

Hail Eris, full of Taste, the IAU is with thee.
Funky art thou among Goddesses, and Blessed is the Golden Apple of thy planet, Eris.
Holy Eris, She who Dunnit, pray for all us humans now, and in the lifetime of our confusion.
Fnord.

134340

[the_other_one]

I am not a number. I am a free planet!

so now...

[Nicaboker]

Dear Earth,

      Pleas do not take this letter as me being bitter but I must say I am rather upset. I have been there with you during the good times and the bad. I know I am smaller than most other planets, but I never thought you would reject me for it. We've been friends for so many years and now you no longer wish to call me a Planet. Just know that when the astroid comes flying towards you I wont be there to try and stop it anymore. I guess what I'm trying to say is... SCREW YOU!!

Pluto

P.S. Eris, you suck too

Re:Monty Python

[Mateo_LeFou]

"Are all your planets called Eris?"

There's nothing so odd about that; Kemil Attaturk had an entire Solar System called Abdan.

Re:Monty Python

[Eccles]

This isn't a planet license; this is a Kuiper Belt object license with the words "Kuiper Belt" crossed out and the word "planet" written in in crayon.

Re:Not popular?!?!

[crawling_chaos]

I'm sure the goddesses of strife and lawlessness were widely worshipped by ancient Greek and Roman hooligans, rioters, lynch-mobs and criminals in general.

We'd have to trace both the Bush and Kennedy family trees back that far to be sure though.