Get Out The Vote

So the International Astronomical Union has opened voting on the names of 32 exoplanets to the general public. You can cast your vote here from now through October 31.

Source: IAU

I'm really disappointed in the options. For example, for years "Bellerophon" had been accepted as the unofficial nickname of 51 Pegasi b (in mythology, Bellerophon rode the Pegasus) but for some reason I cannot fathom, that's not among the options. Either none of the astronomy clubs that submitted potential names to the IAU considered it, or somebody did, and the IAU summarily rejected it because there already exists an asteroid named 1808 Bellerophon that was discovered in 1960 but doesn't even merit its own Wikipedia page.

I don't get to say this often, but...I hate it when I'm right.

This is still a good thing. It's just being executed so haphazardly I'm shocked.

Anyway, this being a non-political election, I'm just going to reveal up-front what name sets I'm voting for:

Ain/Epsilon Tauri - Namida
Edasich/Iota Draconis - Foros
Errai/Gamma Cephei - Kharoof
Formalhaut - Labroides
Pollux - Leda
Epsilon Eridani - Ran, Aegir
Mu Arae - Lusitania, Caravela, Adamastor, Esperanca, Saudade
Tau Bootis - Asuka, Kitora
Upsilon Andromedae - Rayeta, Moltina, Dolasilla, Luyanta
Xi Aquilae - Gobidin , Ewinon
14 Andromedae - Gwendolen, Hafren
18 Delphini - Arion, Koto
42 Draconis - Victor, Byurakan
47 Ursae Majoris - Atsuta, Miyasuhime, Shirotori
51 Pegasi - Helvetios, Dimidium
55 Cancri - Scyllae, Tachypleus, Birgus, Lithodes, Uca
HD 81688 - Kimunkamuy, Heper
HD 104985 - Goban, Fuseki
HD 149026 - Opuntia, Cycla
PSR 1257+12B - Lich, Draugr, Poltergeist, Phobetor

Truth be told, I'm not a fan of most of these names. Although naming the planets in 55 Cancri after different kinds of crabs is clever. Naming a pulsar "Lich" is also fitting for a star that "survives" after its "death." Certainly better than "Rock'n'Roll Star" (with planets "Rockie," "Andie," and "Rollie"). No, I didn't make that up.

Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech

In most cases though, I'm just trying to pick the best out of a ranging-from-mediocre-to-downright-stupid lot. I encourage other people to vote with me because if we coordinate voting, then we have a better chance of a desirable outcome. If the name is being selected "first-past-the-post" style, then it's possible for one option out of five candidates to win with 21% of the vote, meaning 79% of the voters didn't want it. Yet another reason I think the IAU is overpaid. I don't know what they're paid, but whatever it is, it's too much.