Planet Names

[JudeB]

Any idea why the planets in our solar system are named after Roman gods, while planets abroad have names that sound like wi-fi passwords?

 

[tree]

How Do Planets Get Their Names? We Asked a NASA Scientist: Episode 45 - NASA
HISTORY

How do exoplanets get their names? - NASA Science
List of proper names of exoplanets - Wikipedia

 

[Outdated]

Any idea why the planets in our solar system are named after Roman gods, while planets abroad have names that sound like wi-fi passwords?

Because the Romans and Greeks were considered to be the peak of civilisation back when the planets were first really discovered and they believed the brighter "stars" were manifestations of the gods. Our days of the week are also named after those very same gods although the way we say them has changed a little over the centuries.

Before the Romans we also only had 10 months in a year, but both Julius and Augustus believed they were such wonderful emperors that they should have a month named after themselves. I sort of half expect the same to be suggested by another self styled emperor.

September - Septa - 7
October - Octa - 8
November - Nova - 9
December - Deca - 10

 

[JayLapointe]

Because the Romans and Greeks were considered to be the peak of civilisation back when the planets were first really discovered and they believed the brighter "stars" were manifestations of the gods. Our days of the week are also named after those very same gods although the way we say them has changed a little over the centuries.

Before the Romans we also only had 10 months in a year, but both Julius and Augustus believed they were such wonderful emperors that they should have a month named after themselves. I sort of half expect the same to be suggested by another self styled emperor.

September - Septa - 7
October - Octa - 8
November - Nova - 9
December - Deca - 10

I thought Tuesday through to Friday were all adaptations from Germanic and ultimately norse roots?
Tuesday was "Tiws Day" Tiw or Tyr the Norse god of war
Wednesday was "Woden's Day" Woden/Odin Norse top god
Thursday for Thor
Friday for Frigg or Freya.

With Saturday - Saturn, Sunday "Suns Day", Monday Moons day, but with those days having roman/latin roots.

Either way it's all very interesting stuff and really does show that even in a so called Xian dominated world we still very much never gave up our pagan roots from all over the world. Part of why the Xian religions dominated, when they found a new religions they just incorporated the holidays as their own. Renamed things a bit and presto we go from pagan fertility rituals to easter eggs and the resurrection.