The researchers who discovered the plutoid 2007 OR10, which is the largest unnamed dwarf planet in the solar system, decided to give a name to the celestial body. The corresponding message was published on the website of the Planetary Society. The researchers selected three options that meet the requirements of the International Astronomical Union, one of which will become the name of the plutoid.
The celestial body in question was discovered in 2007 by planetary scientists Megan Schwamb and Michael Brown. For a long time, the dwarf planet was perceived as an ordinary neighbor of Pluto, whose diameter is approximately 1280 km. A few years ago, 2007 OR10 caught the attention of researchers, who found that the true diameter of the object was 300 km larger than the value obtained earlier. Thus, the plutoid turned from an ordinary inhabitant of the Kuiper belt into the largest "nameless" planet. Further research helped to find out that the dwarf planet has its own moon with a diameter of about 250 km.
The researchers chose three possible names, each of which is associated with the deities of different peoples of the world. Gungun is the first of the proposed options, which is also the name of the god of water in Chinese mythology. According to legend, this deity is directly related to the fact that the axis of rotation of our planet is at an angle to its own orbit. The second option was the name of the ancient German goddess Holda. She is considered the patroness of agriculture, and also acts as the leader of the Wild Hunt (a group of ghost riders who hunt for the souls of people). The last name on this list was the name of the Scandinavian ace Vili, who, according to legend, is not only the brother of the famous Thor, but also acts as one of the creators of the universe and patronizes people.
Open voting on the site will last until May 10, 2019, after which the winning version will be sent to the International Astronomical Union for final approval.
Source: 3dnews.ru