So, any astronomers here? I have a question!
As we all know, one of Pluto's moons is now called Vulcan. Which is cool and everything, but...
In Star Trek, Vulcan is said to be a planet orbiting 40 Eridani A (about 16 light years away). Now, if we were to happen to discover an appropriate planet orbiting that star, would it not be far cooler to name THAT Vulcan, rather than some piddly moon of a dwarf planet in our own solar system?
So I guess the question is this -- does calling Pluto's moon Vulcan now prevent us from calling a potential future planet Vulcan? How do the naming rules work?
As we all know, one of Pluto's moons is now called Vulcan. Which is cool and everything, but...
In Star Trek, Vulcan is said to be a planet orbiting 40 Eridani A (about 16 light years away). Now, if we were to happen to discover an appropriate planet orbiting that star, would it not be far cooler to name THAT Vulcan, rather than some piddly moon of a dwarf planet in our own solar system?
So I guess the question is this -- does calling Pluto's moon Vulcan now prevent us from calling a potential future planet Vulcan? How do the naming rules work?