So it will be Vanth

S/1 (90482) (2005) Vanth

Discovered 13 Nov 2005 by M.E. Brown and T.-A Suer.

Vanth is a daimon in Etruscan mythology who guides the dead to the underworld. She often appears on tomb paintings and sarcophagi where she is depicted with wings and a torch, and she is frequently shown in the presence of Charun, a guard of the underworld. Name suggested by Sonya Taaffe.

 

 

 

 

I have to say I really like it … it suits extremely well, and it is the number one proposed name for the new moon and also suggested by me in 1 90482 (2005) Needs a Name. But well of course, some of us are still waiting for a large celestial body to be named after Persephone (whether it is Proserpina, Phersipnai, Prosperina). Well until then we are still waiting for Pluto’s wife to make her appearance.

There are thousands of suggestion for the Orcus’s Moon, and out of those suggestions, Vanth is chosen. And so I say let us commemorates some of the good and silly names suggested for the new moon of Orcus.

The Good Names

 

(left) Phlegyas riding his boat with Dante and Virgil. (right) Cerberus in an Etruscan vase. For other gods picture see my previous blog 1 90482 (2005) Needs a Name

• Vanth (winner!)
• Phlegyas (equivalent of Charon, ferrying souls across the Styx)
• Proserpina (wife of Orcus (I believe this is the correct spelling of what Mike Brown refers to))
• Cerberus (“Orcus’ warder” (Virgil))
• Charun (demonic counterpart of Charon)

The Silly Names

(left to right) Shamu the Orca, comedian Stephen Colbert, Princess Fiona, Mork & Mindy

• Shamu (The Orca) 
• Colbert (Stephen Colbert)
• Mindy (counterpart to Robin Williams’ Mork, who was from Ork)
• Fiona (Princess of Fiona, bride of Shrek, the ogre)
• Norahc (Charon read backward)
• Otulp (Pluto read backward)
• Orcus Porcus (???)
• J.R.R. Tolkien related names
• Dungeons and Dragons related names
• Disney-related names

So in the end I’m glad the name was not Shamu, I mean, putting an orca into a dark cold barren KBO region?

S/1 90482 (2005) Needs a Name

Orcus has a moon and needs a name. What would it be?

http://www.mikebrownsplanets.com/2009/03/s1-90482-2005-needs-your-help.html

First let’s analyze the symbolic relation between the myth and the scientific facts of the (dwarf) planet. Since Orcus has a “symbolic” relation with Pluto, I’m going the Pluto-Charon system first.

Pluto:

myth > son of Cronus and Rhea, brother of Zeus, Hera, Hestia, Poseidon, Demeter. Able to render himself invisible.

Extremity > Brightest KBO from earth, Largest resonant TNO, largest Plutino.

Orbit > A resonant KBO, remote, mystery.

Surface > coldest temperature, Comet?, nitrogen ice, surface contrast

Atmosphere > nitrogen-methane.

Feature name > after underworld deities

 

Charon:

myth > Boatman of Pluto. named after first 4 letters of Lowell’ wife Charlene.

surface > bluer than Pluto, ice

Orbit > Anti-Pluto, always on the opposite end of Pluto’s position.

 

Orcus:

myth > Roman god of the dead, early Etruscan origin, slightly more sinister and punishing than Pluto, origin of ogre and orc; because it is an anti-Pluto.

Orbit > Anti-Pluto, always on the opposite end of Pluto’s position.

 

(Orcus’s Moon"):

myth > ?

Composition > 25-30% size of its parent planet.

Orbit > 10 days

 

Then from the gods’ image point of view:

lol naked pictures of the gods Hades and Charon. Pluto-Charon system are Greek origin

And as for the Etruscan-origin Orcus system, I would personally suggest these deities:

for Orcus

	1. Vanth: The Etruscan female demon of death who lives in the underworld. With the eyes on her wings she sees all and is omni-present. She is a herald of death and can assist a sick person on his deathbed. Her attributes are a snake, torch and key.(www.pantheon.org) Because the moon is smaller than Charon to Pluto is, and is appropriate with the aim of “feminizing” the solar system :). And also, it has an almost similar attribute with Charon as the herald of death.
	2. Phersipnai: Etruscan Proserpina/Persephone. Wife of Aita (Hades). Since Proserpina never been commemorated as a “large object” (399 Persephone is too insignificant), I think it is time to name her name to a “significant” object.
	3. Thesan / Tesana: The Etruscan goddess of the dawn, and the patroness of childbirth. She shows some similarities with the Roman Aurora. I don’t know why a goddess of dawn can be placed far away in the KBO. But the Jungian research by this person deserves a consideration. http://www.mikebrownsplanets.com/2009/03/s1-90482-2005-needs-your-help.html?showComment=1237909260000#c1529582613375011946 And also this link http://ftp.fortunaty.net/com/sacred-texts/pag/err/err07.htm
	4. Tuchulcha: An Etruscan demoness of the underworld. It is a horrible, winged creature with snake-hair and the beak of a bird. (www.pantheon.org) With animal features, Tuchulcha seems to be a minor deity, not really appropriate for Orcus’s moon because the moon is still large in comparison with Orcus
	5.  Charun: The Etruscan demon of death who torments the souls of the deceased in the underworld. He also guards the entrance to the underworld. He is similar to the Greek Charon. Charun is portrayed with the nose of a vulture, pointed ears and is usually winged. His attribute is the hammer, with which he finished off his victims. (www.pantheon.org). Not really appropriate, because Orcus’s moon is least likely to be comparable to Pluto-Charon system. (as Charun was the name for Charon)

I still felt pity about Orpheus not being named to any major object in the solar system. But I think Orpheus is too “large” for a merely moon (and also the fact that the protoplanet which struck the earth also named Orpheus, although more often Theia).

Looking forward to any Etruscan-related name for Orcus’ satellite.