Celestial Deities
The
majority of heavenly objects are named after pagan deities, a tribute to the
role of celestial deities in ages past.
Galaxy - The word comes from the Greek "lactos",
literally meaning "milk from the goddess".
Milky Way - Our modern name for the bright band of stars across
the heavens. This band was named the Milky Way after the Greek goddess Hera,
whose milk squirted across the sky. To the Romans it was Juno's milk, and even
the ancient Hindus described it as the "sea of milk".
Sol- The official name of our sun, Sol is named afer after the
Roman goddess Sulis. Sometimes called Sulis Minerva, or Sol Invictus. Also
known as Sil, Elagabal and Baal in Middle East, and as the Norse Balder. In
Greece, this was the sun god Helios and possibly the Greek goddess Helice and
Norse Hel. In Egypt it was Ammon, Ra, Horus, or a combination of all three. The
word "sun", comes from the German Die Sonne, meaning "female
sun".
Aurora - The shimmering, colorful light bands caused by the solar
winds interacting with the earth's atmosphere are named after the Greek goddess
Aurora, also known as Ostara, or Eostre of the Norse. In Europe also known as
the Merry Dancers.
Luna - The official name of our moon, Luna is named after the
Roman goddess Luna. Also known as the Greek god Apollo, and goddesses Selene
and Cynthia. Called Chandra in India, Nanna in Sumer, Sin by the ancient
Semites, and Thoth by the Egyptians. When in a crescent phase, the pointed
limbs are often called "horns", which is why so many lunar deities
are depicted wearing horns. Our word "moon" comes from the German Der
Mond, meaning "male moon". For this reason we also refer to the
"man in the moon". Ancient calendars were all lunar based.
Mercury- The nearest planet to the sun is named after the Roman
god Mercury, known as Hermes to the Greeks, and Hermod to the Norse. This messenger
of the gods travels in a tight orbit around the sun and heralds the equinoxes
as he is best seen in the evening sky a month before the spring equinox, and in
the morning sky a month before the autumn equinox. Mercury travels quickly,
hence his winged shoes, and he carries a staff with 2 snakes intertwined on it
which gave him the ability to both heal the sick and lead the dead to the
otherworld. This staff has since become the modern medical symbol.
Venus- The Roman goddess of love has also been known as Aphrodite,
Inanna in Sumer, and as the Mayan Queztcoatl. In Akkadia she was the goddess
Ishtar. Roughly the same size and mass of earth, Venus appears to go through
gibbous phases like the moon, and appears as the brightest of the planets. She
is best observed in daylight, and many ancient people's attributed different
magical aspects to her depending on her appearance as either the morning, or
evening star.
Terra- The official name for our homeworld, she is named for the
Roman goddess Terra Mater, "mother earth". The word "earth"
itself comes from the German Erde, earth goddess.
Mars- The red planet is named after Mars, the Roman god of war.
Also known as Ares, it's apparent retrograde motion through the skies (an
optical illusion) was well known to the ancients. The fearful reputation of
Mars led to the naming of it's two moons Phobos and Deimos, which means
"fear" and "terror".
Asteroid Belt- You've heard of the Asteroid Belt, but did you know
when they were first discovered they were considered minor planets? The first
ones found were named after pagan gods, but in time, so many were found that
astronomers have since resorted to numbers. Some of the larger ones: Ceres,
Pallas, Juno, Vesta, Astraea, Hermes, Thule, and Eros. Perhaps the shattered
remnants of a lost planet, over 100,000 asteroids exist in the belt, and over
100 are known to cross orbit's with Terra.
Jupiter- By Jove, this king of planets is named after the Roman
god Ju-pater, (god-father), and possibly Janus or Jaincoa. Also known as Jove,
Zeus to the Greeks, Marduk in Bablyon, and Odin to the Norse. The largest
planet in our solar system, Jupiter is a ball of hydrogen & helium, almost
an unlit sun. Four of it's moons are typically visible in amateur telescopes,
yet the most intriguing of them may be Europa. Scientists have determined that
Europa is an ocean world, and although the chilly surface is covered with ice,
life may exist within the waves. Time will tell.
Saturn- The famed ringed planet is named after the Roman god of
time. Also known as Chronos or Kronos to the Greeks. The Egyptians called this
planet Set, an amusing correlation as the god Saturn is the origin of the
Christian name "Satan". Called the god of time, and the god of the
lost Golden Age, Saturn is the visible in December and January, the celestial
source of the Roman Saturnalia, celebrated by the Norse as Yule. Some of
Saturn's moons will sound familiar: Pan, Atlas, Prometheus, Pandora, Janus,
Calypso, Dione, Helene, Rhea, and Titan.
Uranus- A truly mysterious planet, Uranus is named after the Roman
god Uranus, an even older god of time. Also known as Ouranus to the Greeks and
Ur-annu in Sumer. Greek myths say that in a distant past, Uranus was overthrown
by the Titans. Curiously, the axis of Uranus is actually tipped almost parallel
to the plane of the solar system, the result of a tremendous collision with a
large body. Now how did they know that? A few of it's familiar moons:
Puck, Titania, and Oberon, fairies from "Midsummer's Night's Dream".
Neptune- Neptune the blue water planet, is named after the Roman
sea god. Called Poseidon by the Greeks, the blue world shows a large dark spot
where an impact occurred.
Kuiper Belt- Another band of rocky debris, several large asteroids
in this belt have an amusing name, the Centaurs.
Pluto- Pluto, our smallest planet was the source of a large
controversy recently, as astronomers attempted to downgrade it from a planet to
a minor planet. Named after the Roman god of the underworld, the Greeks knew it
as Hades. Today, it's moon has been aptly named Charon. It's odd elliptical
orbit sometimes puts it closer to us then Neptune.
Planet X- In 1999, astronomers announced the possibility of a new,
large planet orbiting in the far reaches around the sun. if confirmed, will
this planet also be named after a pagan god? Let's hope so. It's only fitting.
