"Rebranding the Magellanic Clouds: Astronomers Seek New Names"

A coalition of astronomers is calling for the renaming of the Magellanic Clouds, the two brightest satellite galaxies of the Milky Way, along with other astronomical objects and facilities that bear the name of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. The astronomers argue that Magellan's legacy of colonialism, slavery, and violence against Indigenous peoples should not be honored in the field of astronomy, and that the names of these objects should reflect community values and ideals. They hope that the International Astronomical Union and other astronomical institutions will reconsider the use of Magellan's name.