Thread: Sedna
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Old 03-18-2004, 11:52 AM
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There are many small bodies orbiting the sun - trillions of asteroid and comets. Some are big (many miles across), some small. None of them are considered planets, however.

Sedna is the suggested name. The IAU may indeed make teh name official in a future meeting. Many of the Roman and Greek names are already assigned. Plus, I think the IAU wants to be inclusive of more cultures in future naming of major bodies.

Naming guide:

Minor asteroids are named by usually honoring people, places, things and events. There are many living people who have an asteroid named after them by the IAU.

Major Asteroids (minor planets) have mythological names, as do planets and their major moons.

Comets are named after their discoverer(s). Hale-Bopp is Alan Hale and Tom Bopp, the latter of whom I just spent some time with, as he was just in town staying with my boss. Great guy. You'll also see comet names (like the ones coming up this spring) named after the research project that discovered them.

All of these objects also have catalog have less exciting catalog designations as well (e.g. 422).
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