Public To Vote On Names For Exoplanets

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Public To Vote On Names For Exoplanets

Posted by samzenpus on Sunday July 13, 2014 @10:39AM from the there-are-some-who-call-me-tim dept.

An anonymous reader writes In response to the increased interest by the public in astronomy, the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the world authority that names objects in space, is giving the public a chance to name up to 30 planets from a pre-selected group of 305 exoplanets. "Before you get excited about naming HAT-P-7b after your first pet goldfish, it's worth taking a look at the restrictions the IAU places on its minor planet names. The 16 characters or less must be 'pronounceable (in as many languages as possible)' and non-offensive in any language or culture. The names of living persons are verboten, pet names are 'discouraged,' and you can't use a name that is commercial or has political, military, or religious connotations." The proposed names can be submitted by astronomy clubs and non-profit organizations interested in astronomy and votes will be cast by the public from across the world.

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Smart move... by Mistakill · 2014-07-13 10:42 · Score: 2

... non-offensive in any language or culture...
So they have seen what 4chan can do?
1. Re:Smart move... by slashmydots · 2014-07-13 10:52 · Score: 5, Interesting
  
  You underestimate the situation. You've got 4chan. You've got the Star Wars crowd trying to name them Hoth. You've got the Trekkies trying to name it Vulcan. You've got the scientologists trying to name it who the hell even knows what. You've got MS haters trying to name it Windows 9 (because it's so far away). This is like the internet version of World War 3 because there are so many super powers involved.
2. Re:Smart move... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 11:00 · Score: 0
  
  Don't forget the Mormons.
3. Re:Smart move... by AK+Marc · 2014-07-13 11:11 · Score: 2
  
  They should all be named Colbert 1 through Colbert 305.
  
  --
  Learn to love Alaska
4. Re:Smart move... by wisnoskij · 2014-07-13 11:13 · Score: 2
  
  Forget all that, this is the internet. These planets are all probably going to be named something akin to "Hitler was right". Mountain Dew Competion
  
  --
  Troll is not a replacement for I disagree.
5. Re:Smart move... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 12:39 · Score: 0
  
  This site is no longer news for nerds - /pol/ picked up on this scam already:
  https://boards.4chan.org/pol/thread/32334002#p32335643
6. Re:Smart move... by aNonnyMouseCowered · 2014-07-13 12:44 · Score: 1
  
  You joke. But the names are probably going to go through some sort of machine filtering that'll eliminate Fuckeroo, Sexoid, or Goatse then vetted by a panel of religious and cultural sensitivity "experts" and everybody else with a loud mouth or a big stick to eliminate names likely to get on somebody's goat like Tiananmen, Bin Laden, Zion, etc. Only then does the Internets get to vote to short list of approved names, pretty much like a Slashdot poll.
7. Re:Smart move... by slashmydots · 2014-07-13 15:29 · Score: 1
  
  I can't believe I forgot that one! And Dovahkiin.
8. Re:Smart move... by slashmydots · 2014-07-13 15:43 · Score: 1
  
  Well then let's name it Slashdot.
9. Re:Smart move... by ChromeAeonium · 2014-07-13 17:15 · Score: 2
  
  Maybe they'll split the difference and go with Vader Did Nothing Wrong.
10. Re:Smart move... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 17:51 · Score: 1
  
  Obligatory: http://xkcd.com/1253/
11. Re:Smart move... by hcs_$reboot · 2014-07-13 18:08 · Score: 1
  
  Don't forget the /.ers. Expected names: "frist post", "goetse", "get off my lawn" and "insensitive clod"...
  
  --
  Slashdot, fix the reply notifications... You won't get away with it...
12. Re:Smart move... by pjt33 · 2014-07-13 19:29 · Score: 1
  
  Vulcan definitely has "religious connotations".
13. Re: Smart move... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 20:51 · Score: 0
  
  Mormonia Prime
14. Re:Smart move... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 21:35 · Score: 0
  
  You underestimate the situation. You've got 4chan. You've got the Star Wars crowd trying to name them Hoth. You've got the Trekkies trying to name it Vulcan. You've got the scientologists trying to name it who the hell even knows what. You've got MS haters trying to name it Windows 9 (because it's so far away). This is like the internet version of World War 3 because there are so many super powers involved.
  Why is it I'm having a really hard time picturing grown men running around with Vulcan ears and Star Wars lunchboxes arguing with each other in Klingon as your defined "super power" here...
  Oh, and they clearly said no religious connotations within the rules. Scientology by every tax law is a religion so unless those idiots want to give up their precious tax exempt status, they'll have no input. And like it.
15. Re:Smart move... by jandersen · 2014-07-13 22:15 · Score: 1
  
  You've got MS haters trying to name it Windows 9 (because it's so far away)
  Ah, but you forget that it potentially habitable.
16. Re:Smart move... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-14 00:48 · Score: 0
  
  Yeah so is the force. so forget star wars
17. Re:Smart move... by cheesybagel · 2014-07-14 00:58 · Score: 2
  
  you can't use a name that is commercial or has political, military, or religious connotations
  Like Jupiter? Or Mercury? All the planet names are names of Gods. Even some constellations have names of demi-gods and the ilk.
18. Re:Smart move... by Thud457 · 2014-07-14 01:27 · Score: 2
  come on, we can do this!
  
  Goat A
  Goat B
  and it naturally follows:
  
  Goat C
  --
  the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
19. Re:Smart move... by Cro+Magnon · 2014-07-14 04:05 · Score: 1
  
  I wouldn't be surprised if some Trekkies don't worship the pointy-eared one too.
  
  --
  Slow down, cowboy! It has been 4 hours since you last posted. You must wait another few hours.
20. Re:Smart move... by Triklyn · 2014-07-14 08:47 · Score: 1
  
  i don't think dead religions count... unless you think people still worship those gods... think we might have to go with norse mythology next, branch out into chinese... this could get interesting and fun.
Why so many restrictions? by rmdingler · 2014-07-13 10:45 · Score: 1

The creatures who inhabit the World you're naming already call it something else and will not likely be offended if you pay to name it Nemo.

--
Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.
Ernest Hemingway
1. Re:Why so many restrictions? by K.+S.+Kyosuke · 2014-07-13 11:06 · Score: 1
  
  I'm pretty sure that the Americas were named differently once. Well, the native population will simply have to get used to a new name once we go there for the oil.
  
  --
  Ezekiel 23:20
2. Re:Why so many restrictions? by rmdingler · 2014-07-13 12:10 · Score: 1
  
  America's like the new Godwin here lately.
  
  --
  Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.
  Ernest Hemingway
3. Re:Why so many restrictions? by Gavagai80 · 2014-07-13 15:43 · Score: 1
  
  Since no one people had knowledge of the extent and geography of north and south america or their relation to the other continents before, it wasn't really called anything else.
  
  --
  This space intentionally left blank
4. Re:Why so many restrictions? by nukenerd · 2014-07-14 00:09 · Score: 2
  
  I'm pretty sure that the Americas were named differently once. Well, the native population will simply have to get used to a new name
  Actually, untravelled natives do not usually have a name for where they live - they don't need one, it is just "here". "Britain" was so named by the Romans, not the Britons. "England" means the "Land of the Angles", not the sort of name you give to your own place but is what a non-Angle would say.
  
  In the UK, the most common names for rivers are "Ouse" and "Avon". They simply mean "River" in old languages. When I was a kid I lived by the River Wandle. Unless you were explaining it to an outsider, no-body ever referred to it in speech as "The Wandle" it was always just "the river".
5. Re:Why so many restrictions? by K.+S.+Kyosuke · 2014-07-14 03:36 · Score: 2
  
  Interestingly, this is sort of the case with Earth. As in, how much is it a proper name and how much a descriptive one?
  
  --
  Ezekiel 23:20
6. Re:Why so many restrictions? by Triklyn · 2014-07-14 09:00 · Score: 1
  
  apparently the same holds true for "The City" for us kids who grew up in the burbs.
i hqve a name by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 10:49 · Score: 0

IPooOnIAU
Connotations by Areyoukiddingme · 2014-07-13 10:51 · Score: 4, Insightful

No religious connotations. So names like "Jupiter" and "Mars" and "Pluto" are right out. Even names like "Charon" are verboten.
<cough>
1. Re:Connotations by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 10:54 · Score: 0
  
  I would like to name it Sodom. The people that live there are Sodomizers. Their moon is called Cornholeion.
2. Re:Connotations by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 11:07 · Score: 0
  
  Sounds a lot like Uranus.
3. Re:Connotations by excelsior_gr · 2014-07-13 11:48 · Score: 1
  
  Mars is a chocolate bar, Pluto is Mickey Mouse's dog. On Jupiter, Wikipedia has a lengthy disambiguation list. Take your pic.
4. Re:Connotations by LordKronos · 2014-07-13 13:48 · Score: 1
  
  No religious connotations. So names like "Jupiter" and "Mars" and "Pluto" are right out. Even names like "Charon" are verboten.
  <cough>
  Even though, to an athiest, they may seem the same, there is definitely a difference between religion and mythology. As far as I know, Jupiter, Mars, and Pluto (and Charon) have mythological connotations, but not religious. I'm not aware of anyone who still worships or believes in the Roman (or Greek) gods.
5. Re:Connotations by drinkypoo · 2014-07-13 14:00 · Score: 1
  
  I would like to name it Sodom. The people that live there are Sodomizers.
  I believe they would actually be called Sodomites, which is already funny enough.
  
  --
  "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
6. Re:Connotations by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 14:22 · Score: 0
  
  I'm pretty sure there are some new age wiccan types that do, though it's certainly not mainstream.
7. Re:Connotations by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · 2014-07-13 18:09 · Score: 2
  
  "Mythology" is the polite term for a religion's corpse.
  
  The distinction between religions that are dead and ones that aren't is certainly relevant; but I do get the impression that some prefer to imagine that 'myths' have always been somehow fundamentally different than 'religions', rather than being different now because some of the 'religions' didn't survive.
8. Re:Connotations by vikingpower · 2014-07-13 18:11 · Score: 1
  
  I'm not aware of anyone who still worships or believes in the Roman (or Greek) gods.
  I do, in some way. I think of Apollo and, especially, of Pallas Athena as of certain virtues / skills in human shape.
  
  --
  Religous speak to God. Insane are spoken to by God. When all shut up, one can finally hear Shostakovich in peace
9. Re:Connotations by cheesybagel · 2014-07-14 00:59 · Score: 1
  
  When most of them were named that way the religions were not dead yet.
10. Re:Connotations by CrimsonAvenger · 2014-07-14 01:21 · Score: 1
  
  *cheers*
  Very astute of you, Fuzzy^2 Fungus....
  
  --
  
  "I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
11. Re:Connotations by RockDoctor · 2014-07-14 09:21 · Score: 1
  
  I'm not aware of anyone who still worships or believes in the Roman (or Greek) gods.
  However, at the time that they were given these names - in the millennium or so BCE - essentially everyone in the (known, then) world followed those gods and their cognates, and the names of the gods were assigned to "wandering lights in the sky" (that's what the Greek root of "planet" means) appropriate to the personality of the gods (fast-moving Mercury, the messenger ; blood-coloured Mars, the god of war ...), and in a very real sense, those planets were thought to be those gods, while also accepting that the gods "lived" on Mt Olympus. Note also that the Greeks, Romans and Babylonians didn't get overly concerned with names. If you came into contact with a culture that had a war god, and you had a war god, then evidently you were talking about the same god, even if you used different names and rituals. So, meh - we're all following essentially the same religion. If one author of a star catalogue (Hipparchos, or Ptolmey) used one name for a planet, or a constellation, then that was done in piety, not in blasphemy. Even if they used a different name than you did locally, it didn't make them wrong.
  Anyway, the IAU don't want to get involved in this sort of mud-slinging match. So, if they find (or have pointed out to them) a religious association to the name you propose, into the trash can goes that proposal. They're the rules ; play by them or go and play a different game. It's not a democracy, and you don't get to make the rules unless you manage to get yourself elected to the IAU council and persuade the rest of the council. Which is going to take several decades.
  
  --
  Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
12. Re:Connotations by Triklyn · 2014-07-14 09:34 · Score: 1
  
  i think what he was going for was the first colonists we send to Sodom... will be known henceforth as our brave and noble sodomizers.
13. Re:Connotations by Triklyn · 2014-07-14 09:48 · Score: 1
  
  yeah but some corpses lived better lives than others. I grew up on the greek myths, those stories were baller. If religion were that kick ass, i'd be in robes. I mean the qualitative difference for me was that the old gods were godS.
  they were fallible, they were petty, they were vain, they were spiteful cruel, loving and warm. Humanity's foibles at their most extreme. :)
  I imagine Zeus will never die, he's too good a character... but the current crop of whippersnappers?
14. Re:Connotations by Triklyn · 2014-07-14 09:50 · Score: 1
  
  when they were first named that way :) the other religions weren't born yet :).
15. Re:Connotations by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · 2014-07-14 20:31 · Score: 1
  
  Oh, classical mythology is great fun (though there are some under-appreciated competitors in the running: some of the fertile crescent stuff is...strange indeed... and anyone who doesn't enjoy the Norse or Aztec stuff has no appreciation of the sanguinary things of life). As for the contemporary stuff, The Official Version of most monotheisms is pretty dry (once you assert a single supreme god your theologians usually discover that you've overdetermined yourself out of any sort of real character drama); but the assorted heresies and folk-variant offshoots have some real promise. Gnostics, Manichean types, cults of the saints, theologically-dubious fan fiction like Dante and Milton, all good fun.
16. Re:Connotations by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-16 02:33 · Score: 0
  
  Myth - a fairy tale no-one believes. Religion - a fairy tale that shit loads of people believe. Sounds about right.
17. Re:Connotations by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-17 00:45 · Score: 0
  
  I'm not aware of anyone who still worships or believes in the Roman (or Greek) gods.
  However, at the time that they were given these names - in the millennium or so BCE -
  In the millennium or so BCE, people weren't worried about being politically correct and not offending people of other religions
18. Re:Connotations by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-17 01:08 · Score: 0
  
  the old gods were ...were fallible, they were petty, they were vain, they were spiteful cruel, loving and warm. Humanity's foibles at their most extreme. :)
  Don't sell current religions short. I mean, God allowed Satan to destroy Job's life for what pretty much amounted to a bet. And then, of course, there's all of the killing God does (including killing people for complaining that people are being killed) :
  http://commonsenseatheism.com/...
Re:The audacity of hope? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 10:52 · Score: 0

Is this the same public that twice voted barry obama president of the U.S.?
No. You're thinking of a different public.
IAU authority by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 10:57 · Score: 2, Interesting

Before the whiners comes to explain us IAU has no more authority to name astral bodies than anyone else.
If you're in the US: the IAU authority comes from the National Academies joining the IAU. The National Academies got its authority from the US president in 1963 when he signed the Act of Incorporation which created the National Academies.
1. Re:IAU authority by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 11:13 · Score: 0
  
  s/1963/1863/
2. Re:IAU authority by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 11:51 · Score: 0
  
  That act does not authorize them to be the language police, nor would it be Constitutional if it did.
3. Re:IAU authority by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-14 03:44 · Score: 0
  
  Of course it would be constitutional. Language is used in interstate commerce.
  Get with the program!
The next one: PLUTO by TheRealHocusLocus · 2014-07-13 11:03 · Score: 1

To atone... and hide our shame.

--
<blink>down the rabbit hole</blink>
Nice by nospam007 · 2014-07-13 11:04 · Score: 4, Funny

I predict they will be named Colbert1 to Colbert30.
1. Re:Nice by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 11:37 · Score: 0
  
  Whatever name wins, I'm sure they will act all offended and name it whatever they want instead because the winning names aren't proper enough.
Why must we name them? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 11:06 · Score: 0

I question the very need to name them in the first place. Just let them be as they are.
Here's one: FREEDOM by Mister+Liberty · 2014-07-13 11:08 · Score: 1

How about Blaeu. Sufficiently enough meaning 'blue' (and thus earth-like), while deficiently enough a real living person's name, yet plenty enough a deceased's
name who did plenty of work in cartoghraphy of the globe you land your feet on every morning.
Crikey by the+eric+conspiracy · 2014-07-13 11:10 · Score: 1

There's like a hundred gazillion exoplanets in just our galaxy. This cries out for a numerical scheme like the star number from a USNO catalog plus a suffix.
Names are just wrong for this. There just aren't that many names.
1. Re:Crikey by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 12:58 · Score: 0
  
  There are an infinite number of names. A name can be made up of any combination of letters/characters and be of any length.
2. Re:Crikey by arth1 · 2014-07-13 15:32 · Score: 2
  
  There already is a generator.
  Expect the first planet to be named Lave, and be famous for its vast rain forests and Laveian tree grub.
3. Re:Crikey by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 21:46 · Score: 0
  
  There's like a hundred gazillion exoplanets in just our galaxy. This cries out for a numerical scheme like the star number from a USNO catalog plus a suffix.
  Names are just wrong for this. There just aren't that many names.
  ...says the person utterly reliant upon DNS.
  But hey no, let's try it your way for shits and giggles. Numbers are fun. I'm sure we'll have a blast in IPv6-land.
Re:Dysprosia/Dysprositia by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 11:21 · Score: 0

Or maybe MacGuffin(ia/is).
Poitot by davydagger · 2014-07-13 11:25 · Score: 1

Campaign to have a star named poitot.

upvote if you get it.
1. Re:Poitot by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-14 03:59 · Score: 0
  
  > upvote if you get it.
  Dear Douchebag,
  This is not YouTube, you knob goblin.
  HTH,
  kthxbye
Umm... Idea: by dschnur · 2014-07-13 11:26 · Score: 1

Ceti Alpha V!
(Sorry, just being a geek...)
In reality, I think it's cool that they are going to give names to a few.
In the end, it seems it will wind up to be like trying to assign dns to every possible address in IPv6.
Nice to think about, makes things seem much more in scale, but it's always going to be less than a drop in the oceans.
1. Re:Umm... Idea: by Scarletdown · 2014-07-13 11:52 · Score: 1
  
  Ceti Alpha V!
  (Sorry, just being a geek...)
  Of course, that would only be meaningful if Menkar, also known as Alpha Ceti, is discovered to have at least 5 planets.
  I would suggest Urectum, but that is already reserved for use in 2620.
  
  --
  This space unintentionally left blank.
Or better, "Pluto's Revenge" by Narrowband · 2014-07-13 11:50 · Score: 1

That's my vote, but there are all kinds of great possibilities: Gallifrey, Alderan, Tatooine, Romulus, Mordor, Asgard, Manticore, Beowulf...
1. Re:Or better, "Pluto's Revenge" by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 12:45 · Score: 0
  
  Rakis, Ix, Ginaz, Gammu, Tleilax, Wallach, Chapterhouse, Lampadas, Salusa Secundus...
Always a con by djupedal · 2014-07-13 11:53 · Score: 3, Interesting

These offers to let the public 'vote' are nothing but promotions to get people to visit websites, etc. In the end, the names will be picked from an internal list that is curated by insiders.
1. Re:Always a con by Rashdot · 2014-07-13 21:43 · Score: 1
  
  Individuals can't even enter suggestions, only organizations can.
  
  --
  This is not the sig you're looking for.
Cthulu by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 12:02 · Score: 0

Would any of these work? I pretty sure Cthulu would not be acceptable since it is unpronounceable.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraterrestrial_places_in_the_Cthulhu_Mythos
Rename all the planets... by UltraZelda64 · 2014-07-13 12:07 · Score: 4, Interesting

Under this criteria, not a single planet (or former planet) in this solar system should keep its name, as pretty much all of them run the risk of offending someone who prays to a different diety than the ones that the ancient Romans and Greeks did. Hell, while they're at it, they might as well go through all the astronomical catalogs and weed out all these pesky offensive "religious" names, because they're all over the place. It's pathetic how far people will go these days to attempt to not "offend" even a fly...
Impossible requirements by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 12:24 · Score: 0

> non-offensive in any language or culture
I'd say that's pretty much impossible.
1. Re:Impossible requirements by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 13:01 · Score: 0
  
  Actually, it's very possible, and likely, as these two things are opposites:
  * non-offensive in any language or culture
  * not offensive in any language or culture
The SPORE game by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 12:32 · Score: 1

I remember the SPORE game had an algorithm which automatically created names, as there are so many planets in the galaxy you could just simply use that one.
I would auction off naming rights, as for stadiums by Applehu+Akbar · 2014-07-13 12:45 · Score: 1

The proceeds would go directly to astronomical research.
This by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 12:47 · Score: 2, Insightful

won't end well . . .
How come nobody has suggested. . . . by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 13:27 · Score: 0

PANDORA?
Inoffensive, bound to make plenty of SF fans happy, full of mystery and promise. . . . .
1. Re: How come nobody has suggested. . . . by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 15:25 · Score: 0
  
  That's quite offensive to the blue aliens whose planet we are trying to pilfer resources from...
Start with deceased astronauts... by jpellino · 2014-07-13 13:32 · Score: 1

after that, have at it.

--
"Win treats sysadmins better than users. Mac treats users better than sysadmins. Linux treats everyone like sysadmins."
1. Re:Start with deceased astronauts... by guruevi · 2014-07-13 13:46 · Score: 1
  
  How about cosmonauts? US-centric much!
  
  --
  Custom electronics and digital signage for your business: www.evcircuits.com
2. Re:Start with deceased astronauts... by petes_PoV · 2014-07-13 16:11 · Score: 1
  
  Good idea. But only if they've visited the planets in question.
  
  --
  politicians are like babies' nappies: they should both be changed regularly and for the same reasons
3. Re:Start with deceased astronauts... by jpellino · 2014-07-14 04:14 · Score: 1
  
  Of course cosmonauts.
  
  --
  "Win treats sysadmins better than users. Mac treats users better than sysadmins. Linux treats everyone like sysadmins."
How about.. by Ugmo · 2014-07-13 14:12 · Score: 1

Can we use "Ceti Alpha Six" on a planet orbiting a star not in the constellation "Ceti"
Dune by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 14:45 · Score: 0

Arakis. Desert Planet
Easy! by Tablizer · 2014-07-13 14:50 · Score: 1

Goatse I, Goatse II, Goatse III, Goatse IV...

--
Table-ized A.I.
1. Re:Easy! by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-14 01:16 · Score: 0
  
  Sry /. and unicode... can't give you the IPA here, but only link to it.
  IPA for goat.
  IPA for Götze.
  The ö in Götze is pronounced like the u in hurt, and not oa in goat.
  PS: beta has broken unicode support, classic still can handle umauts, yet another reason to use classic!
2. Re:Easy! by skatull · 2014-07-14 05:22 · Score: 0
  
  I think we need to save save Goatse for naming the black holes.
3. Re:Easy! by Tablizer · 2014-07-14 08:46 · Score: 1
  
  more like worm-holes. [Bleep] come out.
  
  --
  Table-ized A.I.
Bob by RevWaldo · 2014-07-13 15:16 · Score: 1

No one said you have to live on Bob.

.

--
Prisencolinensinainciusol. Ol Rait!
A worldwide contest ... but only in English by petes_PoV · 2014-07-13 15:17 · Score: 3, Insightful

You go to the IAU website and it's written in english. No language selections for non-english speakers. (Even IKEA.com does better than this). What does the "I" in IAU stand for, again?
You go to the nameexoworlds.org website - same deal.
You read the rules and all submissions (max 250 words) must be in english, too.
Given that this is about astronomical objects that are so far away, to them The Earth doesn't even register as a blip. Therefore to limit the naming process to one single earthly language seems like an extraordinary limitation. Especially when you consider that so many stars have Arabic names - couldn't we be a bit more inclusive?

--
politicians are like babies' nappies: they should both be changed regularly and for the same reasons
1. Re: A worldwide contest ... but only in English by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 15:30 · Score: 0
  
  Because English is the defacto world language, like it or not. And you certainly suggest names from other languages as long as you use the English alphabet and spell it phonetically.
2. Re:A worldwide contest ... but only in English by slashmydots · 2014-07-13 15:44 · Score: 1
  
  Time for a fun trivia question. What language is the majority of the internet written in? (it's a slight majority but it's a majority)
3. Re: A worldwide contest ... but only in English by djdarko · 2014-07-13 15:48 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  English is the international language of science. Anyone who wants to be well-recognized in the global scientific community must publish in English. While it is not the first language of many in the World, it is an extremely dynamic & adaptive language and has become the standard. Unlike more culturally "pure" languages, English readily absorbs words from other languages where no equivalent English word exists, with little resistance.
4. Re:A worldwide contest ... but only in English by petes_PoV · 2014-07-13 16:09 · Score: 2
  
  But it's not about majorities (or minorities, come to that). it's about inclusivity.
  If you're going to hold a "world wide" contest, then to not care enough to provide even a few of the most popular non-english languages, seems parochial, if not downright ignorant. You'd think that among all the IAU members, some individuals would have sufficient command of some other languages to be able to offer some alternative translations.
  Or did it simply bot occur to the IAU that there may be a few billion non-english speakers who might like an chance to name a planet (not exacly science, is it) with an equal voice to their western counterparts.
  
  --
  politicians are like babies' nappies: they should both be changed regularly and for the same reasons
5. Re:A worldwide contest ... but only in English by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 20:25 · Score: 0
  
  "inclusive"
  Bad idea. Haven't you fucks learned to avoid namespace issues from domain squatters? Save the good names for last, which is what the "shitty" rules do.
6. Re:A worldwide contest ... but only in English by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 20:31 · Score: 1
  
  HTML, but incrasingly Javascript. These far outweigh any of th content, and bots consumu over 60% of the traffic. Time to name shit with function names and CSS colors?
7. Re:A worldwide contest ... but only in English by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 21:37 · Score: 0
  
  The language of space is english. and air travel generally.
8. Re:A worldwide contest ... but only in English by gunner_von_diamond · 2014-07-14 00:41 · Score: 1
  
  Because of programming. If keywords, etc. are in english in programming languages, why not have english planet names? I.e. include, using, new, delete, if, else, etc. http://blogs.msdn.com/b/alfred...
9. Re:A worldwide contest ... but only in English by NotInHere · 2014-07-14 01:47 · Score: 1
  
  Only the submissions have to be in english, not the names. OP was wrong in this point, I find no hint in the rules that forbid an arabic name. On the contrary:
  
  Proposed names should be:
  16 characters or less in length.
  Preferably one word.
  Pronounceable (in some language)
  I think they can address the astronomic organisations in english only, but would do better (nice gesture of being global) if they offered at least the most used languages. You can argue that (?amateur) Scientific organisations, particularly in astronomy, which is highly international (the european(!) telescopes are in chile), usually have the needed knowledge of english.
  But when the vote is for the public, it would be a great sign of arrogance if the website won't be language localized.
10. Re:A worldwide contest ... but only in English by DNS-and-BIND · 2014-07-14 04:10 · Score: 1
  
  English is the world's second language. Moreover it is the language of science. What other language would you choose for a worldwide contest? Some obscure local language? Or perhaps the slender budget of IAU should be spent on translating their website into 75 different languages? Ridiculous.
  
  --
  Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
11. Re:A worldwide contest ... but only in English by gstoddart · 2014-07-14 05:50 · Score: 1
  
  You're placing too much value on this.
  A bunch of people will assign random names to arbitrary objects nobody will ever see. Using a dubious system which may or may not be representative of the populace, after it's been vetted to be inoffensive, boring and tidy.
  Name them, don't name them, number them, don't number them -- this is purely a publicity stunt, and will have no impact on your life, or anybody else's life for that matter.
  It's like naming cats, it doesn't really serve any purpose except to the people who assigned the names.
  Let's not get all bogged down in how inclusive and representative this actually is. Because, well, it's kind of pointless, and fretting over it is kind of a waste of time.
  So much so, that you could continue to call any of these planets anything you like -- and people still won't know where it is, or care. And nobody will come along and lock you up for using the wrong one.
  Don't like the name they came up with? Hold your own contest, or just make up your own name. Nobody else will know what you're talking about, nor will they care -- just like this. ;-)
  Unless you think your life is going to be damaged by this, feel free to ignore it. If you do think your life is going to be damaged by this ... well, the same applies, really.
  
  --
  Lost at C:>. Found at C.
Rename all the planets... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 15:59 · Score: 0

Plus, think how weird it would be to name planets Jesus, Allah, etc.
"Praise Jesus!" would start getting the reply "Yeah, it's a nice planet. Hope to go there some day."
Recursive by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 16:04 · Score: 0

But my first pet goldfish was called HAT-P-7b, those insensitive clods.
I like the restrictions by tpstigers · 2014-07-13 17:26 · Score: 1

Otherwise we'd end up with Dickworld Delta.
1. Re:I like the restrictions by StripedCow · 2014-07-13 21:38 · Score: 1
  
  The restrictions say:
  
  and non-offensive in any language or culture
  Note: "any" not "all".
  Now, IANAL, but I think your fears may come true.
  
  --
  If Pandora's box is destined to be opened, *I* want to be the one to open it.
Always a con by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 17:50 · Score: 1

Eyes.nasa.gov/exoplanets is a great web site to visit. Now you can map the exoplanets in your night sky and fly to far away systems with a click of your mouse. Sadly no voting there, just stunning 3D visualizations driven by the data in the Caltech Exoplanet Archive.
I know! by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 18:28 · Score: 0

Bob.
Pluto-because-the-IAU-can-suck-it by Arancaytar · 2014-07-13 20:13 · Score: 1

(...)
Mr Splashy Pants? by 91degrees · 2014-07-13 21:23 · Score: 1

Last time I remember the public being involved in a name, we ended up calling a whale Mr. Splashy Pants.

So, perhaps we'll end up with a name like Gassyball of Frolics or something, but I'm sure the combined might of B3ta and 4chan will manage better.
Lave by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-13 23:54 · Score: 0

It's the only one I can remember.
No political connotations? by Cro+Magnon · 2014-07-14 04:00 · Score: 1

So, I guess I can't name the next gas giant "Obama"?

--
Slow down, cowboy! It has been 4 hours since you last posted. You must wait another few hours.
Don't Panic by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-14 04:03 · Score: 0

Rupert.
Mandatory XKCD reference by LightningRook · 2014-07-14 04:16 · Score: 1

http://xkcd.com/1253/
I hope this continues like this. For it is funny :)
Right, how dare they... by Ecuador · 2014-07-14 05:34 · Score: 1

Let's all gather here, on this #1 geek news website and protest. Because how dares the IAU only implement this pointless naming platform exclusively in English! Just be careful to only use Latin characters in your protest. At least for now, because after 15+ years of development we might be close to Unicode support - who knows!

--
Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. Polar Scope Align for iOS
Shouldn't We Just Use... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-14 06:57 · Score: 0

...what ever the local inhabitants call them?
1. Re:Shouldn't We Just Use... by Triklyn · 2014-07-14 10:01 · Score: 1
  
  your optimism is without bounds.
Re:The audacity of hope? by Triklyn · 2014-07-14 09:33 · Score: 1

we all know what won the Obama presidency. the women. you can't win a presidency if you piss off women. they have the majority... you also can't win a presidential with only white people any more.
My Cancerous Testicle by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-14 12:36 · Score: 0

The Third.
Uranus by Dabido · 2014-07-14 17:14 · Score: 1

I vote for Urectum!

--
Sure enough, the cow costume was hanging up next to the superhero outfit and sailors uniform. (S,Spud)
They should name them all... by ChainedFei · 2014-07-15 11:16 · Score: 1

...After characters from Game of Thrones.