How an 11-year-old girl’s breakfast suggestion named a world
In short: In 1930, astronomers were scrambling to name a mysterious new discovery known as 'Planet X.' While experts debated complex options like Zeus or Minerva, the solution came from an unexpected source: an 11-year-old girl reading a newspaper over breakfast in Oxford, England.
The discovery of the object was made by Clyde Tombaugh in February 1930 at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. At the time, the celestial body was referred to as 'Planet X,' sparking intense debate within both the scientific community and the public. The search for a suitable name was complicated by several competing suggestions, including Kronos, Minerva, Zeus, Atas, and Persephone.
This major discovery took place on 14 March 1930. While reading a news report regarding the find, former Oxford University librarian Falconer Madan spoke to his granddaughter, Venetia Burney. When Madan mused about what the planet should be called, Venetia suggested 'Pluto.' She later noted that she was familiar with Greek and Roman legends from children's books and simply thought of a name that had not yet been used for a planet.
The suggestion was passed to Herbert Hall Turner, an Oxford astronomer attending a Royal Astronomical Society meeting. Turner telegraphed colleagues at Lowell Observatory, suggesting they consider 'PLUTO' because it was fitting for a 'dark and gloomy planet.' This choice ultimately stuck, despite the 'spirited battle' of competing names that followed. The legacy of the young girl lives on in space exploration; the New Horizons probe carries an instrument named in her honor.
The naming of Pluto also reflects a broader mythological tradition in astronomy. For instance, Henry Madan, a Science Master at Eton, had previously suggested the names for Mars's moons, Deimos and Phobos. These names refer to the children of the god Ares (the Roman Mars) and Aphrodite, specifically being the offspring of Ares and Aphrodite.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Why Pluto was Named by an 11 Year Old Girl
- Also: How Pluto Got Its Name
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