Its mystery is exceeded only by its power.

It's just a fancy name for a gavitron flux generator.

Jesse, you're not famous enough to pull off shit like that.

I may be behind a little bit on this, but the story just clarified in my head.

I thought our solar system's recently discovered 10th planet was going to be called Sedna, after the Inuit goddess. When did it get named Xena? Sure, it's kind of cool to have Xena and Gabrielle out there, but I'm thinking in a hundred years, scientists are going to be saying "Yes, the first nine planets were named after the ancient gods and goddesses--except for Earth, of course. Then they just got dumb and started pulling names from TV shows. At least they didn't name it Gilligan, but we wish they'd shown a little more historical perspective."

Sedna is a smaller object that isn't up for planethood. Xena and Gabrielle are temporary names.

Actually, there is quite a bit of debate about whether Xena should be called a planet or not. Technically it should be a big Kuiper Belt object, but it's bigger than Pluto. Technically Pluto should be classified as a Kuiper Belt object as well, but it has been called a planet for awhile. So instead of having a 10th planet, Xena may lead to an 8 planet Solar System.

Jesse, you're not famous enough to pull off shit like that.

Crap.

Also, I think I might want Jilli's swirly bat logo as a tattoo.

I thought our solar system's recently discovered 10th planet was going to be called Sedna, after the Inuit goddess. When did it get named Xena?

Xena is the informal name. There's a whole process that needs to happen before it gets its official name.

eta: xpost

I'm totally naming my kid She-Ra. People can pretend it's regular like Shira, but I'll know she's the Princess of Power.

Now I have a completely different view of Judge Shira Scheindlin.

I'm just...well..fucking speechless. Is this the Administration's way of getting people to conserve energy? After Cheney says conservation is a "personal virture" rather than a sound basis for energy policy?

It'd be funny if it weren't so fucking pathetic.

It didn't officially get named anything yet. Well, except 2003 UB313.

Official naming takes commissions and meetings and approvals and people get bent over the silliest things. That's just what the astronomers studying it are calling it. Like I call thanksgiving turkeys Fred. Astronomers use a lot of whacky names.

It would be interesting if what is used in casual/popular speak sticks. I think you'll have to gag & bind the IAU and kill off a few grumpy old goats for it to happen.

As I've said before, I gave up brontosaurus but I am not giving up Pluto as a planet. We're allowed to make exceptions, dammit.