"Your name here"...for those exoplanets

"Name Your Own Exoplanet — For $4.99"

by

Michael D. Lemonick

March 7yj, 2013

Time

The science of exoplanets, or worlds orbiting distant stars, is arguably the most exciting thing in astronomy today. However, the names of those exoplanets are—no argument here—the dullest. How does Gliese 581g strike you? What about  like 51 Pegasi b or HD209458b? They don’t exactly stick in the mind or roll off the tongue, do they? And while the International Astronomical Union (IAU) formed a committee ten years ago to put real names to these alien worlds, nothing has happened so far.

Alan Stern wants to change that, and not in a timid way, either. What’s wrong with a planet named Michael Jackson, or Baltimore Raven, or Fettucine Alfredo? “Traditionally,” says the Southwest Research Institute planetary scientist, whose New Horizons mission is on track for a 2015 close encounter with Pluto, “planets have been named by guys like me sitting in a room thinking about Greek gods.” It’s time, he says, to democratize the process.

That’s one reason Stern and a team of scientists, educators and businesspeople got together to found the website Uwingu.com, where you can go and, for a mere $4.99, put in a proposal to name one of the more than 700 known exoplanets, or one of the nearly 3,000 “planet candidates” that are almost certainly actual worlds, not to mention one of the literally billions of undiscovered exoplanets that scientists are sure dot the Milky Way. “It’s a huge job,” Stern says. “And people love to name things.”

But snazzing up astronomy textbooks and making people feel good is only part of the idea. Another is to use the nomination fees to finance space research and education. “The government is having spending issues,” says Stern, who, as an ex-NASA Associate Administrator, should know. “I wanted to add another lane to the funding freeway.” The very process of proposing a name, moreover, could be educational. “A teacher could have her science class collaborate on nominating a name,” says Stern. “We want people to think more about astronomy.”

A nomination doesn’t guarantee your name will be accepted, only that it will be thrown into what the site calls a “baby book” of names actual scientists can choose from. People can also visit the site and vote for their favorites among the names already suggested. “Is Lady Gaga more popular than Madonna?” Stern wonders. (The most popular name so far is  the more sedate “Heinlein,” after the 20th-century sci-fi author of The Moon is a Harsh Mistress and many other books).

Even if your name is eventually chosen, Stern and his colleagues and board of directors — the latter includes Geoff Marcy, the world’s most successful exoplanteer and Richard Fienberg, press officer of the American Astronomical Society — don’t want you to think that it’s in any sense official. The IAU has the last word on naming planets, moons, asteroids, comets and even craters (it also has the last word on what qualifies as a planet and what isn’t; Pluto’s demotion to “dwarf planet” status in 2006, which still has Stern fuming, was the IAU’s decision).

Lack of official recognition, however, doesn’t bother Stern a bit. “We don’t need to seek anyone’s approval. If we name hundreds of thousands of planets,” he says, “our database will overwhelm whatever’s been done in the past. This is what people do now. It’s the 21st century.” And if Uwingu proves popular enough, he says, “maybe the IAU will come to us.”

This is just the beginning. Naming planets is just the first of many “products” Uwingu plans to offer. Stern is cagey about what might be coming, but the website suggests there might be astronomy-related apps and other software in the pipeline. “We’ll be releasing more products later this year,” he says. “And I think they’ll be just as exciting.”


Ethical advertising--name a star

Titan: Science...faith

It hasn't been brought foreword yet, but I'm sure the debate will begin to boil. The preliminary data revealed by Huygens regarding Saturn's largest moon Titan and based on our current perspectives of what it takes for life to originate and prosper, some religions and individuals of the world may begin to become nervous. Claiming exoplanets [candidates for environments for life] exist is one thing, but to have a potentially life giving body in our own backyard is another thing. Some will become offended that man's uniqueness and relationship with God would be tarnished and shake the foundations of faith. If it is granted that a body like Titan could produce and sustain life [even sentient beings in time], then it is quite possible it has happened before, now, or tomorrow anywhere in the universe. [That still doesn't preclude contact.] For some this idea would erode the relationship with God. Frankly, such a situation in no way necessitates any diminished perspective of God. All concepts associated with God may well be honored for all citizens of the universe. It is better for religion/theology to embrace science and modify some of the old tenants. Science is not on a campaign to abolish personal or collective faith, but to enhance. Resistance and rigidity are not really good ideas for science isn't leaving anytime soon and the issues will have to be resolved. Any thoughts about the above. And please, refrain from a religious "soap box" approach by citing religious texts. Titan may well be the first close step to finding a happy ground between religion and science and cease all the bickering.

Here is an interesting perspective [in four parts] regarding the possibility of life on Titan from Jonathan Lunine [Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona].

Part One:
"On Ammonia and Astrobiology"

Part Two:
"The Missing Methane"

Part Three:
"Comparing the Triad of Great Moons"

Part Four:
"On Ammonia and Astrobiology"


NASA Press Release:

"During its closest flyby of Saturn's moon Titan on April 16, the
Cassini spacecraft came within 1,027 kilometers (638 miles) of
the moon's surface and found that the outer layer of the thick,
hazy atmosphere is brimming with complex hydrocarbons.

Scientists believe that Titan's atmosphere may be a laboratory
for studying the organic chemistry that preceded life and
provided the building blocks for life on Earth. The role of the
upper atmosphere in this organic "factory" of hydrocarbons is
very intriguing to scientists, especially given the large number
of different hydrocarbons detected by Cassini during the flyby.

Cassini's ion and neutral mass spectrometer detects charged and
neutral particles in the atmosphere. It provides scientists with
valuable information from which to infer the structure, dynamics
and history of Titan's atmosphere. Complex mixtures of
hydrocarbons and carbon-nitrogen compounds were seen throughout the range of masses measured by the Cassini ion and neutral mass spectrometer instrument.

"We are beginning to appreciate the role of the upper atmosphere
in the complex carbon cycle that occurs on Titan," said Dr.
Hunter Waite, principal investigator of the Cassini ion and
neutral mass spectrometer and professor at the University of
Michigan, Ann Arbor. "Ultimately, this information from the
Saturn system will help us determine the origins of organic
matter within the entire solar system."

Hydrocarbons containing as many as seven carbon atoms were
observed, as well as nitrogen-containing hydrocarbons (nitriles).
Titan's atmosphere is composed primarily of nitrogen, followed by
methane, the simplest hydrocarbon. The nitrogen and methane are
expected to form complex hydrocarbons in a process induced by
sunlight or energetic particles from Saturn's magnetosphere.
However, it is surprising to find the plethora of complex
hydrocarbon molecules in the upper reaches of the atmosphere.
Titan is very cold, and complex hydrocarbons would be expected to condense and rain down to the surface.

"Biology on Earth is the primary source of organic production we
are familiar with, but the key question is: what is the ultimate
source of the organics in the solar system?" added Waite.

Interstellar clouds produce abundant quantities of organics,
which are best viewed as the dust and grains incorporated in
comets. This material may have been the source of early organic
compounds on Earth from which life formed. Atmospheres of planets and their satellites in the outer solar system, while containing methane and molecular nitrogen, are largely devoid of oxygen. In this non-oxidizing environment under the action of ultraviolet light from the Sun or energetic particle radiation (from Saturn's magnetosphere in this case), these atmospheres can also produce large quantities of organics, and Titan is the prime example in our solar system. This same process is a possible pathway for formation of complex hydrocarbons on early Earth."

References:

"Has Huygens found life on Titan?"

"Scientists Reconsider Habitability of Saturn's Moon"

"Study suggests Titan may hold keys for exotic brand of life"

"The Living Worlds Hypothesis"

"Titan: A Living World?"

"Voyage to the Mystery Moon" [PBS NOVA]