Planetary Names: Planet and Satellite Names and Discoverers

Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature

International Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN)

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Nomenclature

Mercury

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Ring and Ring Gap Nomenclature Planet and Satellite Names, Discoverers, and Themes

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Mercury 1:5 million

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Mars

Martian System

Mars

Phobos

Deimos

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Asteroids

Dactyl

Eros

Gaspra

Ida Itokawa Lutetia Mathilde Steins Vesta More..

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Jupiter

Jovian System

Jupiter Rings

Amalthea

Thebe Io Europa Ganymede Callisto More.. -->

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Saturn

Saturnian System

Saturn Rings

Epimetheus

Janus Mimas Enceladus Tethys Dione Rhea Titan Hyperion Iapetus Phoebe more.. -->

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Uranus

Uranian System

Uranus Rings

Puck

Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon

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Neptune

Neptunian System

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Planet and Satellite Names and Discoverers

This page shows information about planetary bodies named by the IAU Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN), and about bodies named by the IAU Committee on Small Body Nomenclature that have surface features named by the WGPSN.

The IAU Minor Planet Center maintains a list of minor planet names.

Mercury

Body	Description	Date of Discovery	Discovery Location	Discoverer
Mercury	Named Mercurius by the Romans because it appears to move so swiftly.

Venus

Body	Description	Date of Discovery	Discovery Location	Discoverer
Venus	Roman name for the goddess of love. This planet was considered to be the brightest and most beautiful planet or star in the heavens. Other civilizations have named it for their god or goddess of love/war.

Earth System

Body	Description	Date of Discovery	Discovery Location	Discoverer
Earth	The name Earth comes from the Indo-European base 'er,'which produced the Germanic noun 'ertho,' and ultimately German 'erde,' Dutch 'aarde,' Scandinavian 'jord,' and English 'earth.' Related forms include Greek 'eraze,' meaning 'on the ground,' and Welsh 'erw,' meaning 'a piece of land.'
Earth I (Moon)	Every civilization has had a name for the satellite of Earth that is known, in English, as the Moon. The Moon is known as Luna in Italian, Latin, and Spanish, as Lune in French, as Mond in German, and as Selene in Greek.

Martian System

The names of the moons of Mars and the English translations of the names were specifically proposed by their discoverer, Asaph Hall, and as such, they have been accepted and retained under the current IAU nomenclature.

Body	Description	Date of Discovery	Discovery Location