Venus Mapping
Scientists working on the project to map the planet Venus want to name craters and volcanic vents discovered on the planet by the Magellan spacecraft after famous women and have asked the public to submit names. Rules prohibit 19th or 20th century political or military figures, as well as women prominent in any of the world’s major religions. Nominees must have been dead for at least three years.


[Philadelphia Inquirer wire services, 3-9-91]

Do the rules require that only vents, caverns, sunken craters, fumeroles, etc., be named after women? No ridges, protuberances, igneous intrusions, mares, peaks, grandes tetons? Are these to remain nameless? They get men’s names?

May we have a word with the rulemakers, please?

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