Astronomers Call for Renaming the Magellanic Clouds

Astronomers are calling for the renaming of the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, two dwarf galaxies named after the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. The astronomers argue that Magellan's history of colonization, slavery, and murder makes it inappropriate to honor him in this way. They point out that the scientific community has a precedent for renaming celestial objects when names become insensitive or problematic. Renaming the Magellanic Clouds would acknowledge the contributions of Indigenous communities who observed them long before Magellan. The push for renaming is supported by many astronomers, but there is opposition from a vocal minority of the general public.