So you’ve scoured the Earth and still haven’t come up with the perfect name for your baby. Maybe it’s time to look skyward to broaden your horizons. There’s a whole galaxy of interesting and evocative celestial names to choose from, including those of planets and their satellites, constellations and single stars. These range from simple human names like Faye and Helene to those carrying the romantic resonance of Greek and Roman myth.
First, some names of planets and their satellites:
AMALTHEA
ARAGO
CALLISTO—the second largest satellite of Jupiter, discovered by Galileo
DESPINA
JUPITER –the largest planet in the solar system
THEBE
VENUS –the most brilliant planet in the solar system
Next, some of the constellations:
ANTILA
AURIGA
CAELUM
CORVUS
DORADO
LACERTA
PAVO
TUCAN
And some of the most namesake-worthy individual stars:
ALPHA –Alpha Lyra is a white star in the constellation Lyra
NOVA—a star that suddenly increases in brilliance then gradually fades
RIGEL – the brightest star in Orion
SIRIUS – the brightest star in the heavens
VEGA – a blue-white star of the first magnitude
And finally, though they might not appear in the sky anywhere from six to a million years, here are some recurring comets:
MONTANI
And also:
AURORA—the name of the shimmering displays of light that occur in the far northern and southern skies.
February 8th, 2010 at 10:30 am
What a fabulous list! I had no idea Norma had a celestial connection. Plus one more reason to love Cordelia!