List of adjectivals and demonyms of astronomical bodies

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The adjectival forms of the names of astronomical bodies are not always easily predictable. Attested adjectival forms of the larger bodies are listed below, along with the two small Martian moons; in some cases they are accompanied by their demonymic equivalents, which denote hypothetical inhabitants of these bodies.

Contents

For Classical (Greco-Roman) names, the adjectival and demonym forms normally derive from the oblique stem, which may differ from the nominative form used in English for the noun form. For instance, for a large portion of names ending in -s, the oblique stem and therefore the English adjective changes the -s to a -d, -t, or -r, as in Mars–Martian, Pallas–Palladian and Ceres–Cererian; [note 1] occasionally an -n has been lost historically from the nominative form, and reappears in the oblique and therefore in the English adjective, as in Pluto–Plutonian and Atlas–Atlantean.

Many of the more recent or more obscure names are only attested in mythological or literary contexts, rather than in specifically astronomical contexts. Forms ending in -ish or -ine, such as "Puckish", are not included below if a derivation in -an is also attested. Rare forms, or forms only attested with spellings not in keeping with the IAU-approved spelling (such as c for k), are shown in italics.

Note on pronunciation

The suffix -ian is always unstressed: that is, /iən/ . The related ending -ean, from an e in the root plus a suffix -an, has traditionally been stressed (that is, /ˈiːən/ ) if the e is long ē in Latin (or is from ⟨η⟩ē in Greek); but if the e is short in Latin, the suffix is pronounced the same as -ian. In practice forms ending in -ean may be pronounced as if they were spelled -ian even if the e is long in Latin. This dichotomy should be familiar from the dual pronunciations of Caribbean as /ˌkærɪˈbiːən/ KARR-ə-BEE-ən and /kəˈrɪbiən/ kə-RIB-i-ən.

Generic bodies

NameAdjective Demonym
asteroid asteroidal, asteroidicAsterite
comet cometary
cosmos, universe cosmic, cosmian, universal
ecliptic ecliptical, zodiacal
galaxy galactic, galactian
meteoroid meteoroidal
nebula nebular
planet planetary, planetic
planetoid planetoidal
quasar quasaric, quasarian
sky celestial
star astral, sidereal, siderean, stellar
supernova supernovan

Constellations

Derivative forms of constellations are used primarily for meteor showers. The genitive forms of the constellations are used to name stars. (See List of constellations.) Other adjectival forms are less common.

NameAdjectiveDerivative
Andromeda AndromedanAndromedid
Aquarius AquarianAquariid
Aries ArianArietid
Auriga AurigalAurigid
Bootes Bootid
Cancer CancerianCancrid
Carina CarinalCarinid
Capricorn CapricornianCapricornid
Centaurus Centaurean, CentaurianCentaurid
Cetus Cetid
Coma Berenices ComalComa Berenicid
Corona Austrina CoronalCorona Austrinid
Crux CrucialCrucid
Cygnus CygneanCygnid
Dorado Doradid
Draco DraconicDraconid
Eridanus Eridanid
Gemini GeminianGeminid
Hydra, Hydrus Hydrid
Leo Leonic, Leonian, LeoneanLeonid
Leo Minor Leo Minorid
Libra LibranLibrid
Lyra Lyrid
Monoceros Monocerotid
Norma Normid
Ophiuchus Ophiuchid
Orion Orionid
Pavo Pavonid
Pegasus Pegasean, PegasarianPegasid
Perseus Perseid
Phoenix PhoeniceanPhoenicid
Pisces Piscean, PiscianPiscid
Piscis Austrinus Piscis Austrinid
Puppis Puppid
Sagittarius SagittarianSagittariid
Scorpius Scorpian, ScorpionicScorpiid
Taurus Taurean, TaurianTaurid
Ursa Major, Ursa Minor UrsalUrsid
Vela Velar, VelicVelid
Virgo Virginal, VirginianVirginid
zodiac zodiacal

Sun

NameAdjective Demonym
Sun, Sol, Helios Solar, Heliacal, Phoebean, PhebeanSolarian

Planets

Planets and planetoids
NameAdjective Demonym
Ceres Cererian, [1] Cererean [2] Cererian
Earth, Terra, Tellus, Gaia, Gaea earthly, Terran, Terrestrial, Terrene, Tellurian, [3] Telluric, Gaian, GaeanEarthling, Terran, Terrestrial, Tellurian, Earthian, Earther, Earthican
Eris Eridian [4]
Haumea Haumean [5]
Jupiter Jovian, Jupiterian, ZeusianJovian
Makemake Makemakean [6]
Mars Martian, Martial, Arean [7] Martian
Mercury;
Hermes (in the evening),
Apollo (in the morning)		Mercurian, Mercurial, Hermean/Hermeian, Cyllenian, [8] CylleneanMercurian, Hermean
Neptune Neptunian, Neptunial, Poseidean [9] Neptunian
Orcus Orcean, [10] Orcan
Pallas Palladian
Pluto Plutonic, PlutonianPlutonian
Saturn Saturnian, Saturnine, Cronian, [9] Kronian, [11] Saturnial [12] Saturnian
Sedna Sednian [13]
Uranus Uranian, CaelianUranian
Vesta Vestian, [14] [15] Vestan, [16] [17] VestalianVestan, Vestian
Venus;
Hesperus , Vesper (in the evening),
Eosphorus, Phosphorus, Phosphor (in the morning),
Lucifer (in the day)		Venerian, Venusian, Cytherean, [18] Cytherian, [19] Hesperian, [20] Luciferian, [21] Phosphorian, [22] Aphroditan [23] Venusian, Cytherean

Moons

Earth and Mars
NameAdjective Demonym
Moon (Luna, Selene)Lunar, Selenian, CynthianLunarian, Selenite
Deimos Deimian [24]
Phobos Phobian [25]
Jupiter
NameAdjective, demonym
Callisto Callistoan, [26] Callistonian [27]
Europa Europan [28]
Ganymede Ganymedean, [29] Ganymedian
Io Ionian [30]
Saturn
NameAdjective, demonym
Dione Dionean [31] [32]
Enceladus Enceladean, [33] [34] Enceladan [35] [36]
Hyperion Hyperionian [37]
Iapetus Iapetian, [38] Japetian
Mimas Mimantean, [34] Mimantian [39]
Rhea Rhean [40] [41]
Tethys Tethyan [42] [43]
Titan Titanian /taɪˈteɪniən/ , [44] Titanean [45]
Uranus
NameAdjective, demonym
Ariel Arielian [46]
Miranda Mirandan, [47] Mirandian [48]
Oberon Oberonian [49]
Titania Titanian /tɪˈtɑːniən/ [50]
Umbriel Umbrielian [50]
Neptune, Pluto and Eris
NameAdjective, demonym
Triton Tritonian [51]
Charon Charonian [52]
Dysnomia Dysnomian

Galaxies

NameAdjective
Milky Way Galaxy Galactic, [53] Lacteal [54]
Andromeda Galaxy Andromedan
Magellanic Clouds Magellanic

Notes

  1. ↑ This is reflected in Russian Паллада Pallada 'Pallas' and Церера Tserera 'Ceres', as well as in Italian Pallade 'Pallas' and Cerere 'Ceres', as in these (and several other) languages the nominal forms of the names often also reflect the oblique. This is not always the case, however – for Mars, Italian Marte parallels the English adjective but Russian Марс Mars parallels the English noun.

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