National Geographic News, Reporting Your World Daily

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Photo: New Dwarf Planet Makemake Marks Shift in Naming Trend


Email to a Friend	<< Back to Full Story

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) announced in July 2008 that a fourth dwarf planet discovered in 2005 (depicted in the above illustration) will be called Makemake (MAH-keh MAH-keh), after a Polynesian creation god.

The choice of moniker reflects astronomy's shift away from christening planets by the names of Greek and Roman gods, experts say.

Illustration courtesy International Astronomical Union