List of adjectivals and demonyms of astronomical bodies

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.

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; 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

Name	Adjective	Demonym
asteroid	asteroidal, asteroidic	Asterite
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.

Name	Adjective	Derivative
Andromeda	Andromedan	Andromedid
Aquarius	Aquarian	Aquariid
Aries	Arian	Arietid
Auriga	Aurigal	Aurigid
Boötes		Bootid
Cancer	Cancerian	Cancrid
Carina	Carinal	Carinid
Capricorn	Capricornian	Capricornid
Centaurus	Centaurean, Centaurian	Centaurid
Cetus		Cetid
Coma Berenices	Comal	Coma Berenicid
Corona Austrina	Coronal	Corona Austrinid
Crux	Crucial	Crucid
Cygnus	Cygnean	Cygnid
Dorado		Doradid
Draco	Draconic	Draconid
Eridanus		Eridanid
Gemini	Geminian	Geminid
Hydra, Hydrus		Hydrid
Leo	Leonic, Leonian, Leonean	Leonid
Leo Minor		Leo Minorid
Libra	Libran	Librid
Lyra		Lyrid
Monoceros		Monocerotid
Norma		Normid
Ophiuchus		Ophiuchid
Orion		Orionid
Pavo		Pavonid
Pegasus	Pegasean, Pegasarian	Pegasid
Perseus		Perseid
Phoenix	Phoenicean	Phoenicid
Pisces	Piscean, Piscian	Piscid
Piscis Austrinus		Piscis Austrinid
Puppis		Puppid
Sagittarius	Sagittarian	Sagittariid
Scorpius	Scorpian, Scorpionic	Scorpiid
Taurus	Taurean, Taurian	Taurid
Ursa Major, Ursa Minor	Ursal	Ursid
Vela	Velar, Velic	Velid
Virgo	Virginal, Virginian	Virginid
zodiac	zodiacal

Sun

Name	Adjective	Demonym
Sun, Sol, Helios	Solar, Heliacal, Phoebean, Phebean	Solarian

Planets

Planets and planetoids

Name	Adjective	Demonym
Ceres	Cererian, Cererean	Cererian
Earth, Terra, Tellus, Gaia, Gaea	earthly, Terran, Terrestrial, Terrene, Tellurian, Telluric, Gaian, Gaean	Earthling, Terran, Terrestrial, Tellurian, Earthian, Earther, Earthican
Eris	Eridian
Haumea	Haumean
Jupiter	Jovian, Jupiterian, Zeusian	Jovian
Makemake	Makemakean
Mars	Martian, Martial, Arean	Martian
Mercury; Hermes (in the evening), Apollo (in the morning)	Mercurian, Mercurial, Hermean/Hermeian, Cyllenian, Cyllenean	Mercurian, Hermean
Neptune	Neptunian, Neptunial, Poseidean	Neptunian
Orcus	Orcean, Orcan
Pallas	Palladian
Pluto	Plutonic, Plutonian	Plutonian
Saturn	Saturnian, Saturnine, Cronian, Kronian, Saturnial	Saturnian
Sedna	Sednian
Uranus	Uranian, Caelian	Uranian
Vesta	Vestian, Vestan, Vestalian	Vestan, Vestian
Venus; Hesperus, Vesper (in the evening), Eosphorus, Phosphorus, Phosphor (in the morning), Lucifer (in the day)	Venerian, Venusian, Cytherean, Cytherian, Hesperian, Luciferian, Phosphorian, Aphroditan	Venusian, Cytherean

Moons

Earth and Mars

Name	Adjective	Demonym
Moon (Luna, Selene)	Lunar, Selenian, Cynthian	Lunarian, Selenite
Deimos	Deimian
Phobos	Phobian

Jupiter

Name	Adjective, demonym
Callisto	Callistoan, Callistonian
Europa	Europan
Ganymede	Ganymedean, Ganymedian
Io	Ionian

Saturn

Name	Adjective, demonym
Dione	Dionean
Enceladus	Enceladean, Enceladan
Hyperion	Hyperionian
Iapetus	Iapetian, Japetian
Mimas	Mimantean, Mimantian
Rhea	Rhean
Tethys	Tethyan
Titan	Titanian /taɪˈteɪniən/, Titanean

Uranus

Name	Adjective, demonym
Ariel	Arielian
Miranda	Mirandan, Mirandian
Oberon	Oberonian
Titania	Titanian /tɪˈtɑːniən/
Umbriel	Umbrielian

Neptune, Pluto and Eris

Name	Adjective, demonym
Triton	Tritonian
Charon	Charonian
Dysnomia	Dysnomian

Galaxies

Name	Adjective
Milky Way Galaxy	Galactic, Lacteal
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.