Feature on Pluto’s moon Charon tentatively named “Mordor”

[Alcuin]

A large dark region near the north pole of Pluto’s moon Charon has been tentatively named “Mordor” by NASA scientists.



For a larger picture and further documentation, go to this article from NASA and page 2 of suggested names for Charonian geological features from NASA.

Immediately after “Mordor” (which is pretty obvious in the photograph) is someplace named “Shire”, but that isn’t quite as obvious on the photo. (Sauron felt the same way: ‘Where is “Shire”?’)

Here’s a Wikipedia article..

On page 1 of NASA’s list, the first suggested name is “Kirk”, followed by “Spock”, “Uhura”, “Sulu”, “Skywalker”, and “Leia”.

Of the four pages of suggested names, some of the more appropriate ones (to me) are “Hoth” (ice world in Star Wars), “Jötunheim” (home of the Norse frost giants), “Naglfar” (glossed as, “Ship made from the fingernails and toenails of the dead, Norse mythology”: Charon ferried the dead in an unnamed boat across the Styx), and “H. Bosch” (glossed as, “Hieronymus Bosch, 1450-1516, Dutch painter who created fantastical images of Hell”: Charon and Pluto are like the Ninth Circle of Dante’s Inferno: forever frozen in ice).

[Mari]

Some friends of mine were all riled up about Mordor.

[Rían]

I love the Mordor name! perfect!

[Mari]

My friends said it couldn't be, since an ice planet just doesn't have the necessary Mt Doom to pull the whole Mordor thing of.

[Insidious Rex]

I love any mention of Tolkien's world in real world spaces but wouldnt Utumno be the more accurate name for the frozen pole region of a frozen planet?