An artist's interpretation of what the surface of Pluto might look like, based on computer models. Image: WikiMedia Commons
NASA's New Horizons mission—the first to visit Pluto—will make its closest encounter with the dwarf planet in mid-July. But by May 14, it will start capturing images of Pluto and its moon Charon better than any we've had before. That means we'll start to be able to see clear details of every ridge, mountain, and valley on our former ninth planet and its satellite. And all of those geological features are going to need names.That's where you come in. Although the New Horizons team gets final say when registering the names with the International Astronomical Union, they need some help coming up with ideas. They've created a list of ten categories:
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- Historic explorers (i.e. Lewis & Clark)
- Space missions and crafts (i.e. Challenger)
- Scientists and engineers (i.e. Clyde Tombaugh, who discovered Pluto)
- Fictional explorers and travelers (i.e. Captain Ahab)
- Fictional worlds (i.e. the Shire)
- Fictional vessels (i.e. the Argo)
- Exploration authors and artists (i.e. J.R.R. Tolkein)
- Underworlds (i.e. the Abyss)
- Travelers to the underworld (i.e. Virgil)
- Underworld beings (i.e. Hades)