Reverend Moon

The two smallest known moons orbiting Pluto have been officially christened by the International Astronomical Union, which is in charge of approving celestial names. American non-profit science research group SETI Institute said the moon earlier known as P4, which was discovered in the summer of 2011, has been named Kerberos, after the three-headed dog of Greek mythology. The second one called P5, which was discovered in the summer of 2012, has been named Styx, after the mythological river that separates the world of the living from the realm of the dead, Xinhua reported. The moons join Pluto's previously known moons Charon, Nix and Hydra. The SETI Institute said Pluto's moons are all named for characters associated with the underworld of Greek and Roman mythology, according to the International Astronomical Union rules. 

Ison

Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) is racing toward an uncomfortably close rendezvous with the Sun, according to a new series of images from the Gemini Earth Observatory. Comet ISON might present a stunning sight in the twilight sky of late November that will remain easily visible, even brilliant, into early December.

Gemini’s time-sequence images span from early February through May 2013, showing the comet’s remarkable activity despite its vast distances from the Sun and Earth. Data accumulated from the image series provides vital clues as to the comet’s overall behavior and the potential to present a spectacular show this fall. What scientists don’t know is if Comet ISON will survive its close brush with the Sun to become the early morning spectacle in late 2013.

During the image collection, the comet ranged between roughly 455-360 million miles (or 4.9-3.9 astronomical units) from the Sun. This put it just inside the orbital distance of Jupiter. The images, taken with the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph at the Gemini North telescope on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, reveal the comet in the far red part of the optical spectrum. This emphasizes the comet’s dusty material already escaping from what the astronomers call a “dirty snowball.”

The comet sports a well-defined parabolic hood in the sunward direction that tapers into a short and stubby tail pointing away from the Sun. Such features form when dust and gas escape from the comet’s icy nucleus and surround the main body to form a relatively extensive atmosphere called a coma. The coma’s material is pushed away from the Sun by solar wind and radiation pressure to form the comet’s tail.

The closest known alien planet beyond our solar system has a new unofficial name: Albertus Alauda.

That moniker won an online people's choice contest organized by space-funding company Uwingu to choose a more exciting, approachable name for the Earth-size alien planet Alpha Centauri Bb, a scorching-hot world that lies just 4.3 light-years away.

Jay Lark, who nominated "Albertus Alauda," said he chose the exoplanet name to honor his late grandfather.

"It is his name in Latin (Albert Lark)," Jay Lark wrote in his submission to the contest. "My grandfather passed away after a lengthy and valiant battle with cancer; his name in Latin means noble or bright and to praise or extol. I think this is an apt description as my grandfather was a noble man and bright of character, and in this nomination I wish to honour him."

The Alpha Centauri Bb naming contest ran from March 19 through April 22. Proposing a name cost $4.99, while voting for one cost $0.99. Uwingu (whose name means "sky" in Swahili) will use the proceeds to fund grants in space exploration, education and research, which is the company's chief purpose, officials said.

Albertus Alauda came out on top with 751 votes, scoring Jay Lark a commemorative plaque, a 12-month subscription to Astronomy Magazine, a shout-out on the Uwingu website and a phone call from Uwingu CEO (and former NASA science chief) Alan Stern and famed planet-hunter Geoff Marcy, an adviser for the company.