Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-77c89778f8-gq7q9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-19T09:34:59.354Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

APPENDIX I - The Nomenclature of the Minor Planets

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 July 2011

Get access

Summary

This is a subject on which we have a few words to say. In the early days of this branch of astronomical discovery, a sort of understanding was come to by astronomers that the names given to these bodies should as far as possible be those of ancient female divinities. So much for the theory which is unexceptionable. Now for the practice. This is bad in two ways: — 1. The original arrangement is constantly broken through; and 2, sufficient precautions are not taken to choose names, which cannot be mistaken (by reason of similarity of sound) for ones, previously appropriated. With reference to the 1st, we havo nothing particular to say against such names as Parthenope, Massilia, Isis, &c., as they indicate where the discovery wts made, but we most emphatically protest against the fawning servility which prompted such appellations as Eugenia, and Maximiliana, and Angelina. We have the highest opinion of the excellence of the Empress of France, nor do we doubt that King Maximilian of Bavaria has deserved well of his German subjects, but why should they be raised to the skies? In 1813 the Academy of Leipzic proposed to add the name of Napoleon I. to the constellations; astronomers, with much good sense, repudiated the idea. Has the race degenerated? The same remarks apply with equal force to Angelina.

Type
Chapter
Information
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2010
First published in: 1861

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×