Recently discovered satellite of Uranus denied moon status

Associated Press ^ | 12/28/2001 10:07 pm ET | Associated Press

[mdittmar]

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) A space rock just 25 miles across has failed to win recognition as the 21st moon of the planet Uranus.

The object was seen for the first and only time in 1999, when University of Arizona, Tucson astronomer Erich Karkoschka spied it in a series of 300 images taken of Uranus by the Voyager 2 spacecraft 13 years earlier.

The object was given the provisional name of S/1986 U 10.

However, the International Astronomical Union, the sole group charged with naming new solar system objects such as moons, has passed over the would-be moon.

The IAU wants a Hubble Space Telescope image of the object before it is satisfied the rock actually exists, according to The Planetary Society, a space exploration advocacy group.

Uranus has 20 confirmed moons that all take their names from characters in the works of William Shakespeare and Alexander Pope.

There are 90 known moons in the solar system, excluding the handful that orbit asteroids. Saturn has the most, with 30 moons.

[mdittmar]

I saw this headline and immediatly thought 'Lawsuit'

Scary.

[Ken H]

This sucks!

I say we FReep 'em until they squeal!

[tbeatty]

I'm sure the International Star Registry will be happy to name this moon after anyone you choose and record it in book form for all eternity.

[Drew68]

Poor Uranus. Not only is it the most mispronounced planet in the solar system, a planet whose name elicits giggles from school children, but now even her moons are getting dissed!

An ourage, I tell you!

[randog]

I won't make the obvious joke about Uranus and Moon being in the same title.

Honest, I won't.

[Tennessee_Bob]

So, there's a rock orbiting Uranus. That's a whole lot more than I wanted to know.

Ok, go ahead, slap me down. It's midnight on the east coast and I'm taking a break from writing sappy poetry. Let the beatings commence.

[Valin]

Poor Uranus

That's funny I thought Uranus was a planet.

[RightOnline]

"S/1986 U 10": The Rodney Dangerfield of the solar system.

[exit82]

Every time I read about Uranus, I bust out laughing. Can't help myself.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Capt. Kirk is orbiting Uranus looking for Klingons.

[DainBramage]

A space rock just 25 miles across has failed to win recognition as the 21st moon of the planet Uranus.

Its not big enough for Uranus.

[Nitro]

This sucks!

You are thinking of Jupiter!

[Jhoffa_]

Recently discovered satellite of Uranus denied moon status

There's a Joke in here somewhere..

[NC_Libertarian]

Will man ever travel to Uranus?

[Deep_6]

What's the problem, it's been a longstanding fact, that
too much moon can ruin the sanctity of Uranus.

 

[InvisibleChurch]

It was probably denied moon status because of its pro-life stance.

[Nitro]

I must admit, I am over 40 and I haven't giggled ever, but I will chuckle from time to time!

What does toilet paper have in common with the USS Enterprise?

[Deep_6]

Why don't they name it after Jesse Jackson, there's a
moon of Uranus, if I ever saw one.

[Nitro]

See #17

[VoiceOfBruck]

However, the International Astronomical Union, the sole group charged with naming new solar system objects such as moons, has passed over the would-be moon.

I think the IAU is being a little too anal retentive.