[X] My Assistant

[Michael Capobian...]

I'm just wondering when the IAU will get around to assigning names to the new features found on the Saturnian satellites by Cassini. Titan has gotten names, but what about the other moons? It would make discussion a whole lot easier if we had names for, say, the features within Cassini Regio.


Michael

[Phil Stooke]

Titan was a special case, I think, really needing a basic framework of names early on. But for all the other moons don't forget the mission is still in progress. We have some preliminary mosaics to play with, but the official mapping needs new control networks, new global maps etc. first. Systematic naming can follow when cartographers can give proper coordinates for each named feature. The new USGS maps will probably not be started until after the nominal mission. There's no hurry!

Phil

[angel1801]

Important update:

http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/HotTopics/ind...Names!.html

[volcanopele]

Important update:

http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/HotTopics/ind...Names!.html

Interesting. A good move IMHO. Division III has become nothing more than a rubber stamp for the provisional names approved by the WGPSN. The only change that I can remember made by Division III during a GA was when the names for Ionian volcanoes Itzamna Patera and Susanoo Patera were switched due to the proximity of Sigurd Patera to the provisionally named Susanoo Patera. This did result in some confusion after a failed observation of Itzamna Patera was named SUSANO01 before the name change.