What literary source tradition was adopted for naming the satellites orbiting Uranus, contrasting the classical theme?
Answer
Characters from the works of William Shakespeare and Alexander Pope.
The naming convention for the moons of Uranus represents a deliberate thematic shift away from the classical Roman mythology used for inner planets. Instead, the accepted tradition utilizes characters found in the literary works of William Shakespeare and Alexander Pope. For instance, Titania and Oberon are characters from Shakespeare's *A Midsummer Night's Dream*, while Ariel and Umbriel are characters found in Pope's poem *The Rape of the Lock*. This reflects a changing cultural appreciation within the astronomical community over time, moving toward celebrated literary figures.
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