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Top Document: [sci.astro] Solar System (Astronomy Frequently Asked Questions) (5/9) Previous Document: E.07 Could the Sun explode? Next Document: E.09 Where can I find pictures and planetary data? See reader questions & answers on this topic! - Help others by sharing your knowledge Gareth Williams <gwilliams@cfa.harvard.edu> Comets are named for their discoverers, up to three names per comet. Minor planets are named by the Small Bodies Names Committee of the International Astronomical Union Commission 20. Discoverers of minor planets may propose names to the SBNC and minor planets have been named to honor all sorts of famous (and some not so famous) people and animals in all walks of life. Planetary satellites are named by the Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature of the IAU, in consultation with the SBNC (mainly to avoid conflicts of names), and they *usually* defer to the discoverer's wishes. Names of satellites are usually taken from Greek mythology or classical literature. Features on Solar System bodies are named by the same commission, generally following a specific theme for each body. For instance, most features on Venus are named in honor of famous women, and volcanos on Io are named for gods and goddesses of fire. For additional discussion, see <URL:http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu/billa/tnp/names.html>. The IAU Planetary System Nomenclature Working Group's Web site, <URL:http://wwwflag.wr.usgs.gov/nomen/nomen.html>, has an extensive discussion, as well as lists of names. User Contributions:Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic:Top Document: [sci.astro] Solar System (Astronomy Frequently Asked Questions) (5/9) Previous Document: E.07 Could the Sun explode? Next Document: E.09 Where can I find pictures and planetary data? Part0 - Part1 - Part2 - Part3 - Part4 - Part5 - Part6 - Part7 - Part8 - Single Page [ Usenet FAQs | Web FAQs | Documents | RFC Index ] Send corrections/additions to the FAQ Maintainer: jlazio@patriot.net
Last Update March 27 2014 @ 02:11 PM
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with stars, then every direction you looked would eventually end on
the surface of a star, and the whole sky would be as bright as the
surface of the Sun.
Why would anyone assume this? Certainly, we have directions where we look that are dark because something that does not emit light (is not a star) is between us and the light. A close example is in our own solar system. When we look at the Sun (a star) during a solar eclipse the Moon blocks the light. When we look at the inner planets of our solar system (Mercury and Venus) as they pass between us and the Sun, do we not get the same effect, i.e. in the direction of the planet we see no light from the Sun? Those planets simply look like dark spots on the Sun.
Olbers' paradox seems to assume that only stars exist in the universe, but what about the planets? Aren't there more planets than stars, thus more obstructions to light than sources of light?
What may be more interesting is why can we see certain stars seemingly continuously. Are there no planets or other obstructions between them and us? Or is the twinkle in stars just caused by the movement of obstructions across the path of light between the stars and us? I was always told the twinkle defines a star while the steady light reflected by our planets defines a planet. Is that because the planets of our solar system don't have the obstructions between Earth and them to cause a twinkle effect?
9-14-2024 KP