Live long and prosper: Vulcan wins vote to name Pluto moon
By Henry Hanks, CNN
Score one for Trekkers everywhere.
When two new moons were found near the dwarf planet Pluto, the SETI Institute asked the Internet to put it to a vote: What should they be named?
One of those names was Vulcan, best known in pop culture as the planet and alien species of Spock on "Star Trek."
Original "Trek" stars William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy took to Twitter to ask fans to vote for Vulcan.
According to the recently-posted results, it appears that Vulcan won by a wide margin. However, the final winner has not been officially announced.
Assuming that this vote total holds, we'll be looking at a real-life Vulcan orbiting Pluto in the next couple of months.
Are you excited by this most stellar event in "Star Trek" history? Let us know in the comments.
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Vulcan in both science and in science fiction is reserved for a hot body orbiting close to its star. With hundreds of extrasolar planets available, naming a tiny, cold, dark moon of Pluto Vulcan is a poor choice.
It's not logical that Pluto's nephew, Vulcan, would take precedence over his wife, Persephone. Go ahead and ask a Vulcan. I wish Trekkies would be more respectful of lore of a Pluto, instead of the magnetism of two doddering actors.
Excellent point, nerdicus nodateicus
A cold, dark moon of Pluto? Remus would have been a more appropriate name. However, that name has already been taken.
The original Vulcan ( other than the god) was so named be caused it was hypothesized to be closer to the sun than Mercury. Ironic if we now name one of the coldest places Vulcan. Science fiction trumps science.
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This is so great!. Been a Trek fan ever since I can remember so this news just put a huge smile on my face 🙂
What are they going to name Uranus?
Uranus already has a name: Uranus.
I would like to open a vote to call the moon congress. The lack of life. In fact the lack of anything but just plain mass.
Ding ding ding. We have a winner. Only a matter of time before any subject becomes political.
I thought Spok had pointy ears!!??
Yes he does but it's a little known Star Trek fact that Spok does not.
Just glad Obama didn't force them to name it after himself.
man it must be sad to be you .. loser
lol
LoL, Pbernasc. Unfortunately, there is a "Craig" in every forum who cannot maintain their focus and stick to the topic at hand. Some losers can't get over it.
Yeah just like all those other things Obama has forced people to name after him.....oh wait, he hasn't.
Obama is going to use his jedi mind meld on you.
Lame.
Love it!
Absolutely love the idea to name it Vulcan. I like the fact that it feels close to home as opposed to name a planet Vulcan which is 5000 light years away. They should name the other moon Pandora or Krypton.
Rura Penthe would have been a more apt name.
Given that we name astronomical bodies after mythical figures, we should definitely name one of the new moons Yahweh.
Now that's uncalled for, show some class man. Whether you believe in any god or not, there is a difference between naming something after a long dead, truly mythological figure like Jupiter and calling it a myth and calling the name of a god who is the deity of two world religions, both of which outlasted the Greek and Roman Mythologies a myth. That is ignorance at its finest.
There are still people who worship the Greek gods. Who are you to say your god is better than their gods.
You know what I find ironic about atheists? They believe that we came from nothing...so all this happened by magic?...you all feel people of faith are believing in magic...just find it ironic...not knocking it one way or the other...just ironic....best we don't knock each other and show some respect...cause you never know...you die and suddenly (just for arguement sake) you are facing Yahweh...Awkward!
But... but...Vulcan has no moons, nor is it, itself, a moon.
Fine, I'll take it. Better than Hoth.
Is it true that there is a ring around Uranus ?
Ask Sheldon. He may demonstrate if given something to drink.
As an aside I can't wait to see what Big Bang Theory writers make of this article.
I heard George Takei is a bottom. I am sure there is a ring around Hisanus.
...only when I don't clean well enough. 😛
AWESOME choice! It works on many levels and who cares about the actual gravity of the moon? It's the thought. It's acknowledging what Star Trek did for science all those years ago. Many children grew up and went into the sciences b/c of that show. It was strides ahead in showing people of different cultures all working together towards a common goal, something we all should aspire to. In fact, something Congress should be doing now, working together to solve this current problem, not playing their typical party games but putting the country and it's people first.
Love long & prosper Vulcan, and all of you!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE YOUR COMMENT!!! WHY?
I'M ONE OF THOSE TREKKIE KIDS THAT COULDN'T GET HOME FAST ENOUGH TO WATCH STAR TREK. EVEN THOUGH I'VE WATCHED ALL THE SPINOFFS, NOTHING COULD EVER REPLACE THE ORIGINAL CAST IN MY HEART.
The name fits. Pluto is the god of the underworld. Pluto's existing moon, Charon, is the name of the boatman who ferries the dead across the river Styx. Vulcan, the god of fire, suits them.
First the Star Trek people get a prototype space shuttle, now a Pluto moon? What have the Star Wars people ever gotten? No fair.
STAR TREK came first. It's science-based and much of it has come true over the years: personal communication devices, the iPad, medical scanners, the Bridge for buildings, automatic doors, etc.
"What have the Star Wars people ever gotten?"
$4 billion from selling out to Disney
Fewer wedgies
Thanks tibs. I needed the laugh!
AWESOME! HAhahahaha! Best laugh I've had all week.
Our wallets...
Outstanding choice!
Vulcan is supposed to be hot with a thicker hotter atmospher and higer gravity. I tiny cold rock around another tiny cold rock isn't approprate. Call it Andoria or Breen, two Trek worlds that are supposed to be cold!
Vulcan is...make believe.
So...if you want to name your stupid dog Vulcan...does that mean your dog should be hot with higher gravity?
I vote for Breen!
Actually the term Vulcan predates Star Trek by centuries. It refers to, among other things, the Roman god of fire. You'd think that as a journalist it might be worth mentioning that a word is for more then from Star Trek.
They were probably well aware of that fact, I think they just wanted point out that the name of the moon was picked because of Star Trek. Even though the name of mythological god existing before the TV show it had no influence on the naming of the moon and therefore of no relevance in this article.
Tad C they wasted it? I have 3 streets named after Abe Lincoln in my TOWN, I think they will use a name more than once in the UNIVERSE
HAHA! Awesome feedback 1stResponder. That is so true!
I think we should name it Lt. Sulu, because Lt. Sulu likes looking at Uranus.
@Anne Stewart: Unless you are really 12, Grow up
Sorry if the puns aren't highbrow enough for you Mike! I am sure we all forgot that we needed to meet your standard for good jokes.
How about meeting the standard for a 'joke' before you even talk about 'funny joke'
I loved Star Trek as I'm sure many did likewise. Vulcan is an ideal name for this new discovery.
Feel like the name was wated on a tiny moon that no one will probably ever visit. Should have used it on a planet they found or something cool.
It will be the Moon of Pluto named Vulcan. The name would still be open for a planet named Vulcan in any solar system, and probably even multiple Vulcans in different solar systems. Bleh. You guys are over thinking this.