* . *
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
Friday, August 8, 2025
Earth-News
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    Themed Entertainment Design – Purdue Polytechnic

    Innovative Themed Entertainment Design: Creating Immersive Experiences

    Rachael Leigh Cook and Brandon Routh ‘Happy to Have Found Each Other’ Following Respective Divorces – yahoo.com

    Rachael Leigh Cook and Brandon Routh ‘Happy to Have Found Each Other’ Following Respective Divorces – yahoo.com

    ‘Billie Jean’ – Hyde Park Herald

    The Enduring Magic Behind ‘Billie Jean’ Revealed

    Hank Hill returns to a changed world in new ‘King of the Hill’ episodes – New Haven Register

    Hank Hill Navigates a Bold New World in Thrilling New ‘King of the Hill’ Episodes

    Exclusive | Fox Takes Stake in IndyCar Owner Penske Entertainment – The Wall Street Journal

    Exclusive | Fox Takes Stake in IndyCar Owner Penske Entertainment – The Wall Street Journal

    Go-to entertainment: why gaming was made for the toilet – The Guardian

    Why Gaming Is the Ultimate Way to Pass Time in the Bathroom

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    MBU showcases student work at Occupational Therapy Technology Fair – WHSV

    Discover the Most Innovative Student Projects at the Occupational Therapy Technology Fair

    BlackSky Technology Inc. (BKSY) Reports Q2 Loss, Lags Revenue Estimates – Yahoo Finance

    BlackSky Technology Inc. Reports Q2 Loss, Misses Revenue Targets

    Improved Technology Access: A Key to Closing the Healthcare Gap for African Americans – BIOENGINEER.ORG

    LMI Expands Technology Org, Appoints New Leaders – GovCon Wire

    LMI Expands Technology Team with Dynamic New Leadership Appointments

    Midland Innovation and Technology Charter School closing down – CBS News

    Midland Innovation and Technology Charter School Closes Permanently

    Future Trends In HR Technology – Dataconomy

    Future Trends In HR Technology – Dataconomy

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    Themed Entertainment Design – Purdue Polytechnic

    Innovative Themed Entertainment Design: Creating Immersive Experiences

    Rachael Leigh Cook and Brandon Routh ‘Happy to Have Found Each Other’ Following Respective Divorces – yahoo.com

    Rachael Leigh Cook and Brandon Routh ‘Happy to Have Found Each Other’ Following Respective Divorces – yahoo.com

    ‘Billie Jean’ – Hyde Park Herald

    The Enduring Magic Behind ‘Billie Jean’ Revealed

    Hank Hill returns to a changed world in new ‘King of the Hill’ episodes – New Haven Register

    Hank Hill Navigates a Bold New World in Thrilling New ‘King of the Hill’ Episodes

    Exclusive | Fox Takes Stake in IndyCar Owner Penske Entertainment – The Wall Street Journal

    Exclusive | Fox Takes Stake in IndyCar Owner Penske Entertainment – The Wall Street Journal

    Go-to entertainment: why gaming was made for the toilet – The Guardian

    Why Gaming Is the Ultimate Way to Pass Time in the Bathroom

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    MBU showcases student work at Occupational Therapy Technology Fair – WHSV

    Discover the Most Innovative Student Projects at the Occupational Therapy Technology Fair

    BlackSky Technology Inc. (BKSY) Reports Q2 Loss, Lags Revenue Estimates – Yahoo Finance

    BlackSky Technology Inc. Reports Q2 Loss, Misses Revenue Targets

    Improved Technology Access: A Key to Closing the Healthcare Gap for African Americans – BIOENGINEER.ORG

    LMI Expands Technology Org, Appoints New Leaders – GovCon Wire

    LMI Expands Technology Team with Dynamic New Leadership Appointments

    Midland Innovation and Technology Charter School closing down – CBS News

    Midland Innovation and Technology Charter School Closes Permanently

    Future Trends In HR Technology – Dataconomy

    Future Trends In HR Technology – Dataconomy

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
Earth-News
No Result
View All Result
Home Science

The Magellanic Clouds must be renamed, astronomers say

November 3, 2023
in Science
The Magellanic Clouds must be renamed, astronomers say
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

News

Science & Astronomy

A starry night sky with two glowing blobs, one bigger than the other.

This visible light mosaic shows the LMC and SMC. Separated by about 21 degrees, the two galaxies are readily visible from the Southern Hemisphere as faint, glowing patches in the night sky. The LMC and SMC are the closest major galaxies to our own and lie about 163,000 and 200,000 light-years away, respectively.
(Image credit: Axel Mellinger, Central Michigan University/NASA Visualization Studio)

In September, astronomer Mia de los Reyes published an op-ed in the journal APS Physics, representing a coalition of astronomers calling for the renaming of two iconic, deeply studied and shining irregular galaxies near the Milky Way. One of these star-studded realms is named the Large Magellanic Cloud and the other, for reasons you’d probably expect, is named the Small Magellanic Cloud. But most importantly, what these two satellite galaxies have in common is they’re named after Ferdinand Magellan. 

Among other things, Magellan has gone down in history as the Portuguese explorer who murdered, enslaved and burned the homes of indigenous people while setting out to be the first person to circumnavigate the globe. As de los Reyes’ article states, a first-hand account of Magellan’s journey describes how he enslaved the native Teluche people, for instance, who lived in what is now Argentina, and placed iron manacles on the “youngest and best proportioned men.” He’s also recorded to have set entire villages ablaze in the region we now call Guam. 

Magellan had his own personal slave as well, Enrique de Malacca, who he’d purchased before the journey and relied on to interpret indigenous languages — in fact, experts argue Enrique de Malacca’s presence on the trip technically made him the first person to circumnavigate the globe after Magellan was killed in a fight with islanders in the Philippines. “Lapu-Lapu, the Mactan ruler whose forces killed Magellan, is often credited with slaying the explorer after run-ins with indigenous locals,” according to National Geographic, though it’s possible he didn’t literally do the deed himself. Still, “as a result, [Lapu-Lapu] has become a national hero in the Philippines.”

Related: It’s official: NASA won’t rename James Webb Space Telescope

So, knowing all this, the recently-announced coalition finds no reason Magellan, who was also not an astronomer, should be the namesake of the LMC and SMC. “This particular topic is something I’ve thought about since learning about these galaxies,” de los Reyes, who is an assistant professor of astronomy at Amherst College, told Space.com. “I’m Filipino-American, and Magellan is an infamous figure in Filipino history, so this has always been at the back of my mind.”

And beyond being “a colonizer, a slaver and a murderer,” as de los Reyes writes in the op-ed, astronomers also agree he was not even the first to identify these clouds.

“Magellan was murderous and awful but that isn’t the primary issue,” David W. Hogg, a professor of physics and data science at New York University and Group Leader for astronomical data at the Flatiron Institute, told Space.com. “The primary issue is that the clouds aren’t his discovery.”

The words “Large Magellanic Cloud”http://www.space.com/” and “Small Magellanic Cloud” are incredibly common in the field of astronomy, as these sparkling realms are considered some of the best cosmic laboratories in which to study star formation. Not only are they teeming with stellar bodies, but because they sit so close to our galaxy, scientists are also able to investigate individual stars lying within. These satellite galaxies are also the only systems we clearly see hosting star clusters at every stage of evolution; several thousands of peer-reviewed academic articles mention results gleaned from the LMC and SMC. 

This also means several thousands of peer-reviewed academic articles refer to Magellan — over 17,000, de los Reyes calculates.

A tight group of bright, blue-white stars just left of center in the image. the group also holds a few orang-white stars. a smattering of blue-white stars against a black background fills the rest of the scene.

A twinkling group of stars dominates the center of this image. NGC 2002 is an open star cluster that resides roughly 160,000 light-years away from Earth in the Large Magellanic Cloud. (Image credit: NASA, ESA and G. Gilmore (University of Cambridge); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America))

Per a 2020 publication in the European Southern Observatory’s journal for science and technology, The Messenger, local populations in South America already knew of these clouds well before Magellan’s expedition. The Portuguese called them “Clouds of the Cape,” author Michel Dennefeld writes, and scientific circles used the names “Nubecula Minor” and “Nubecula Major.” German lawyer and amateur astronomer Johann Bayer, who invented the first modern star atlas “Uranometria” in 1603, also used the latter.

“It turns out that the ‘Magellanic’ name wasn’t even widely attached to these galaxies until well into the 1800’s, which was centuries after Magellan’s expedition,” Sally Oey, a professor of astronomy at the University of Michigan, told Space.com.

“Pretty much every astronomer I’ve talked to is supportive; criticisms seem to be primarily from a vocal minority of the general public,” de los Reyes said. “I’ve gotten a few emails from folks — who don’t appear to be astronomers — telling me to ‘go back to doing science,’ or that this is ‘woke-ism’ — that kind of thing. 

“It doesn’t seem to occur to these folks that nomenclature is part of science.”

The milky way towers over a skyline of silhouetted trees.

The milky way towers over a skyline of silhouetted trees. (Image credit: Space.com / Josh Dinner)

One of the more recent, and highly publicized, requests to rename an astronomy-related object concerns the James Webb Space Telescope. In March of 2021, several months before the JWST launched to space, scientists published an article in Scientific American about the alleged backstory of the telescope’s namesake, James Webb, who ran NASA between February 1961 to October 1968. 

In the article, authors write that Webb was in part responsible for a policy that allowed for the purging of LGBT individuals from the workforce, an event now dubbed “The Lavender Scare.” In an 87-page report, NASA described its own investigation into the subject as a response. The agency found “no available evidence directly links Webb to any actions or follow-up related to the firing of individuals for their sexual orientation,” according to an official statement. The name was not changed. 

“If we’re going to fault James Webb for the Lavender Scare, we would have to change the names of a lot of things and a lot of buildings,” University of South Florida historian David Johnson, who wrote a book about the Lavender Scare, told Space.com following the report, highlighting NASA’s Johnson and Kennedy space centers. “None of these people were particularly active in persecuting homosexuals, but just like Webb, they were there when this policy was in effect.”

In the APS piece, de los Reyes writes about nuances of the JWST’s renaming as well, stating “there will always be complications in naming monuments or facilities after individuals.” 

In a letter to the American Astronomical Society, following the JWST naming conclusion, current NASA administrator Bill Nelson said the agency is updating the processes of naming missions and buildings. 

“People are not perfect,” de los Reyes said, “and societal standards will change.” 

It’s also worth mentioning that many astronomical items besides the LMC and SMC are named after Magellan, including a lunar crater and Martian crater named “Magalhaens,” NASA’s Magellan spacecraft and even an upcoming observatory presently under construction: The Giant Magellan Telescope. “We hope other astronomical institutions, particularly the consortia that manage the 6.5-m Magellan telescopes and the upcoming Giant Magellan Telescope, will also revisit the use of Magellan’s name,” de los Reyes writes in the APS piece.

The Giant Magellan Telescope test cell is being outfitted with mirror supports and actuators in the Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Kurt Kenagy inspects the static support hardware prior to attaching the mirror simulator (not shown).

The Giant Magellan Telescope test cell is being outfitted with mirror supports and actuators in the Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Kurt Kenagy inspects the static support hardware prior to attaching the mirror simulator (not shown). (Image credit: Steve West, Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab at the University of Arizona)

One idea to get around the naming issue, she says, is to stop naming things after people altogether and take a note from Mars rovers, named after ideals: Perseverance, Opportunity, Curiosity, Sojourner and Spirit. 

“The other option,” she says, “is to name things after people who, to the best of our knowledge, embody the values that we as a society currently uphold, and to accept that as our society progresses (which is a good thing!) we will likely need to revisit these names.”

And the next generation of scientists, it would appear, will likely be attuned to these types of topics. De los Reyes says students in her astronomy classes are starting to ask questions about science that are beyond the theories and numbers, surrounding things like “What communities do we interface with and impact as we do science?” and “What historical and societal structures enable us to do science?”

“One of my students actually found my op-ed, thought it was interesting, and sent me a link without realizing that I wrote it!” she said. “I do think many students, and early career researchers in general, are more open to thinking about the ways that astronomy as a field and astronomers as people interact with broader society.”

De los Reyes says that there are currently about 50 people in the coalition’s core mailing list, but the group continues to garner more support by the day. “I can’t imagine how any astronomer could object to the renaming of the clouds,” Hogg said,” since there is absolutely no sense in which Magellan is in any way responsible for their discovery.”

And, though there isn’t a public petition for the name change yet, de los Reyes says the cadre will soon be pushing for a resolution with the International Astronomical Union.

“It turns out that getting astronomers to support changing the names is pretty easy, but getting them to agree on a new name is harder!” she said. “We plan to suggest several options for the IAU to vote on.”

Some of those options could perhaps be to return to calling the LMC and SMC by the names Nubecula Major and Nubecula Minor, respectively, or inventing a Mars rover-esque tenet. De los Reyes, however, believes the easiest way is to probably just pick a new “M” word so scientists can continue using the acronyms LMC and SMC. “Meridional,” meaning “of or related to the Southern Hemisphere,” might be a good one, she said, or “Milky,” referring to the Clouds’ association with the Milky Way.”

“This is not a new topic,” de los Reyes said. “Other astronomers have been thinking about this since before I even entered the field, but I think the time wasn’t quite right to have this discussion. In the past few years, people have been having more discussions about renaming — not just in astronomy, but also in broader society — and we have more momentum now.”

“One of the main hurdles is that people can feel attached to tradition,” Oey said, but “this name doesn’t have a very long tradition.”

“There really isn’t a strong reason to keep the name, other than convenience.”

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: [email protected].

Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more!

Monisha Ravisetti is Space.com’s Astronomy Editor. She covers black holes, star explosions, gravitational waves, exoplanet discoveries and other enigmas hidden across the fabric of space and time. Previously, she was a science writer at CNET, and before that, reported for The Academic Times. Prior to becoming a writer, she was an immunology researcher at Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York. She graduated from New York University in 2018 with a B.A. in philosophy, physics and chemistry. She spends too much time playing online chess. Her favorite planet is Earth.

>>> Read full article>>>
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source : Space.com – https://www.space.com/astronomers-rename-magellanic-clouds-coalition

Tags: CloudsMagellanicscience
Previous Post

Astronaut Ken Mattingly, who launched to the moon on Apollo 16, dies at 87

Next Post

SpaceX, NASA delay CRS-29 cargo launch again, to Nov. 9

Icing‐related injuries in polar bears (Ursus maritimus) at high latitudes – Laidre – 2024 – Ecology – ESA Journals

Frozen Peril: The Devastating Impact of Icing Injuries on Polar Bears in the High Arctic

August 8, 2025
Carnegie Science Center launching new name in September – CBS News

Carnegie Science Center Unveils Exciting New Name This September

August 8, 2025
Petersburg youth explore Coho Creek for science education – Petersburg Pilot

Petersburg Youth Dive into Science with Hands-On Exploration of Coho Creek

August 8, 2025
Is there a path to healthier aging? What the latest research shows | Bodyworks – The Oklahoman

Is there a path to healthier aging? What the latest research shows | Bodyworks – The Oklahoman

August 8, 2025
MBU showcases student work at Occupational Therapy Technology Fair – WHSV

Discover the Most Innovative Student Projects at the Occupational Therapy Technology Fair

August 8, 2025
Official | Evann Guessand completes €35m Aston Villa move – Yahoo Sports

Official | Evann Guessand completes €35m Aston Villa move – Yahoo Sports

August 8, 2025
Trailer: Netflix Animation Welcomes Viewers to the Whimsical World of Dr. Seuss! – Animation Magazine

Trailer Unveils the Whimsical World of Dr. Seuss in Netflix Animation!

August 8, 2025
Spending on AI data centers is so massive that it’s taken a bigger chunk of GDP growth than shopping—and it could crash the American economy – Fortune

Spending on AI data centers is so massive that it’s taken a bigger chunk of GDP growth than shopping—and it could crash the American economy – Fortune

August 8, 2025
SPC Health Programs Showcase: Featuring Nursing, Radiography, and Surgical Services Degrees – St. Petersburg College

Explore Exciting Career Paths in Nursing, Radiography, and Surgical Services at SPC Health Programs Showcase

August 8, 2025
Top Trump officials discussed Epstein at White House meeting Wednesday night – CNN

Top Trump officials discussed Epstein at White House meeting Wednesday night – CNN

August 8, 2025

Categories

Archives

August 2025
MTWTFSS
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
« Jul    
Earth-News.info

The Earth News is an independent English-language daily published Website from all around the World News

Browse by Category

  • Business (20,132)
  • Ecology (760)
  • Economy (783)
  • Entertainment (21,659)
  • General (16,347)
  • Health (9,822)
  • Lifestyle (793)
  • News (22,149)
  • People (784)
  • Politics (792)
  • Science (15,996)
  • Sports (21,280)
  • Technology (15,763)
  • World (765)

Recent News

Icing‐related injuries in polar bears (Ursus maritimus) at high latitudes – Laidre – 2024 – Ecology – ESA Journals

Frozen Peril: The Devastating Impact of Icing Injuries on Polar Bears in the High Arctic

August 8, 2025
Carnegie Science Center launching new name in September – CBS News

Carnegie Science Center Unveils Exciting New Name This September

August 8, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

Go to mobile version