Earlier this week the dwarf planet commonly nicknamed Xena, was given it's official name 'Eris'. Eris is a little known goddess. She represents chaos and disruption. Her most famous story is about a party of the gods that she wasn't invited to. In an attempt to make trouble, she sent a golden apple to 'the prettiest one'. Fighting broke out as everyone thought it was obviously meant for them. They appealed to a mortal man named Paris to judge who it belonged to. As a prize for being their judge he was awarded Helen of Troy, the most beautiful woman in the world. This started the Trojan war.
Also, as something that might only interest me, they've chosen the Greek name instead of the Roman one (Discordia). That makes it unique amongst the major and minor planets. [Bonus points for the commenter that can translate the most names. No fair looking it up.]
While I'm commenting on this, let me share my thoughts with the decision that demoted Pluto. It's poorly reasoned and will be eventually changed. It's clear that a 'planet' must be larger than some particular size. Labeling every rock in the solar system would be overkill. The common sense definition that it must be large enough for it's own gravity to make it spherical gives a clear, universal method to guage. But it's the other prong of the decision that's problematic. It was declared that a planet must dominate it's area of space or orbit. This eliminated Pluto because it forms a double planet with Charon (they revolve around each other tather than having a primary and a moon). It's orbit also crosses Neptune. This somehow doesn't effect Neptune's status.
As we find more and more planets around other stars, we'll find some double planets. Objects that are clearly planets in the sense that Mercury and Mars are. Maybe we'll even find some shared orbits. This will cause another reshuffling. (I'd bet it happens within our lifetime.)
[The headline is based on tabloid headlines from when Lucy Lawless got married. Bonus point if you read this far down.]
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