Cthulhu and Balrog: as NASA calls the areas of Pluto

NASA scientists have begun to analyze the surface of Pluto on the basis of the collected data that the New Horizons apparatus sent. A number of interesting geological formations have been discovered on the planet. In the process of work, communicating among themselves, experts use informal names for some regions on Pluto.

The online voting among Internet users for the best names of objects just recently ended. At the presentation, NASA named some winners.



As you can see, the dark area on the left of the screen is called the Cthulhu Sea, another spot to the right of the heart is the Balrog area. Smaller dark spots were called Meng-p'o, Kroon, Ala, Vukub-Kama, and Hun-Kame.
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All these are gods or mythical characters from fantastic works.

For example, Cthulhu - the lord of the worlds, sleeping at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, but, nevertheless, capable of affecting the human mind.

Meng-p'o is the death goddess from Chinese mythology.

The Balrog is a demonic creature, originally mentioned in the novel The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R.Tolkien.

In the future, informal names can be approved by submitting a corresponding application to the International Astronomical Union.