'Makemake' Is Named the Newest Plutoid

NY Times ^ | July 20, 2008

[yankeedame]

Makemake Is Named the Newest Plutoid

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — A dwarf planet orbiting beyond Neptune has been designated the third plutoid in the solar system and given the name 'Makemake' (pronounced MAH-keh MAH-keh)....

The red methane-covered dwarf planet, formerly known as 2005 FY9 or “Easterbunny,” is named after a Polynesian creator of humanity and god of fertility.

Just last month the astronomical union...decided to create a class of subplanets called plutoids.

Pluto, demoted from planet status, and Eris are the other two plutoids.

Makemake is slightly smaller and dimmer than Pluto and was discovered in 2005....

[yankeedame]

"MAH-keh MAH-keh"....? Isn't that a kind of a fish?

[BenLurkin]

I don’t know but have we run out of names from mythology of Western civilization?

The good folks of Hawaii were never going to build a telescope let alone explore the solar system. Why name something from that culture?

[ChocChipCookie]

I so prefer Easterbunny. I wish they had put this up for a vote.

[WorkerbeeCitizen]

They gotta pay tribute to Gia or whatever they call it.

[TheWasteLand]

Makemake sucksucks.

[visualops]

The good folks of Hawaii were never going to build a telescope let alone explore the solar system. Why name something from that culture?

I didn't think the naming convention had to come from a specific "culture" or whether or not they will explore space...oh wait a minute, Hawaii is part of the USA and we have gone into outer space. And don't Polynesian peoples extend far beyond Hawaii? In fact haven't the Polynesians been great travelers whose migrations extended over vast distances?

[loungitude]

(pronounced MAH-keh MAH-keh)
::::
yeah, right..No one is going to say ‘MAKE-MAKE’.

[Disciplinemisanthropy]

tia carrere?

[new cruelty]

Yes. But then nothing compares to the sweet sound of uranus!

[BenLurkin]

Born Althea Rae Duhinio Janairo
January 2, 1967 (1967-01-02) (age 41)
Honolulu, Hawaii

A mere child!

[K-oneTexas]

Oh! But aren’t you just in awe of how these scientists, er astronomers are so .... brainy. :)

[Tanniker Smith]

Pluto, demoted from planet status

Pluto is TOO a planet.
I'm a teacher. I said so.
So there.

If Betty can be a vitamin, Pluto can be a planet.

[Hyzenthlay]

Um, what kind of mythology does Western civilisation have? Correct me if I’m wrong, but ALL our mythology (unless you want to count Paul Bunyan and Johnny Appleseed) came from places like Greece, Rome, Egypt, etc.

And who knows? Hawaii is part of America, there’s a possibility we could have an astronaut or something from that state. I think we already have one of those big super-fancy telescopes/observatories over there...

[Disciplinemisanthropy]

brother iz