The International Astronomical Union has announced an official name for the larger-than-Pluto object that briefly looked set to become the tenth (or maybe twelfth) planet. Press release follows the cut...
IAU names dwarf planet Eris
14-September-2006, Munich: The International Astronomical Union
announces the names (136199) Eris for the dwarf planet provisionally
named 2003 UB313 and Dysnomia for its moon.
The dwarf planet formerly known as 2003 UB313 received the official
designation (136199) Eris, or Eris in short, from the International
Astronomical Union on 13th September 2006. The name was accepted almost
unanimously by the Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature
(WGPSN) and the Committee for Small Body Nomenclature (CSBN).
Eris is the second dwarf planet in a sub category of objects of which
Pluto is the prototype.
The name Eris was proposed by one of the discoverers, Michael Brown
(Caltech, USA). (136199) Eris was discovered on 5th January 2005 by M.
E. Brown, C. A. Trujillo, and D. Rabinowitz at the Palomar Observatory.
Eris is a the Greek goddess of discord and strife. She stirs up jealousy
and envy to cause fighting and anger among men. At the wedding of Peleus
and Thetis, the parents of the Greek hero Achilles, all the gods with
the exception of Eris were invited, and, enraged at her exclusion, she
spitefully caused a quarrel among the goddesses that led to the Trojan war.
Eris is pronounced ee’-ris (see link 4).
Eris¹ moon, formerly known as S/2005 (2003 UB313) 1 and now known
technically as (136199) Eris I, has been named Dysnomia.
Dysnomia is the Daimon spirit of lawlessness. She is the daughter of
Eris, goddess of chaos and strife, and the counterpart to Eunomia who
puts an end to the anger of grievous strife.
The name Dysnomia was accepted unanimously by the members of the WGPSN.
The name was proposed by Mike Brown, a member of the discovery team.
The new designations have been approved by the IAU Division III
Organizing Committee and by the IAU Officers and have been announced in
IAU Circular 8747 13 September 2006.