Los
Angeles Times: Vulcan and Cerberus were the top two
contenders in a recent international poll to name two moons of
Pluto. The poll was conducted by the team that discovered the
moons. Team leader Mark Showalter, a planetary astronomer
working at the
SETI Institute, said the
group sought names from Greek mythology and associated with
Hades and the underworld. "Vulcan" was proposed by William
Shatner, the actor who portrayed Captain James T. Kirk on the
TV series
Star Trek. Although he chose the name because it is
the home planet of Kirk's first officer and best friend, Mr.
Spock, Vulcan meets Showalter's naming criteria by also being
the nephew of Pluto. "Cerberus," which was nominated by SETI,
is the hound that guards the underworld ruled by Pluto. The
final decision rests with the International Astronomical
Union.
