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Public To Vote On Names For Exoplanets
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.
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.