Naming the Features on the Moon

Great idea Paul. What could be a more fitting memorial to the great man.

Mike just got back to me, he sent the email and his reply to Paul Callanan, the chair for our committee for Astronomy & Space Research and the vice chair Peter Gallagher.

I am wondering if there is anyone else that I can contact? I am thinking of Sir Patrick's fellow presenters on The Sky At Night, they would have mor influence tha I ever would.

Good idea or not?

Paul

I would be surprised if submissions for a crater to be named after him hasnt already been done tbh.

Me neither, but just in case.

Paul

I just got a reply from Rita Schulz at the IAU, she informed me that a person has to be deceased for three years for any fature in the solar system to be named after them.

So we will have to wait.

Paul

In the days of Wilkins and Moore in the 1950s, Agatharchides A was called Moore, but the IAU did not accept these names. A crater be named Moore would break two IAU nomenclature rules: that lettered craters not be renamed, and that duplication of names is not allowed - another Moore already exists. It is possible that in 3 years the IAU might agree to add Patrick Moore as a person honoured by the existing farside Moore crater.

Eamonn