The earth v. Earth

[Benjamin Barrett]

Every other geographical region that I can think of is capitalized:
Alpha Centauri, Sol, Luna, North America, Minnesota, the Great Plains,
the Olympic Peninsula. It seems that a justification to not capitalize
earth is called for, rather than a justification for capitalizing the
other planets. (Time may very well have done so, I just don't remember.)

You can argue, for example, that sun, moon and earth are names of
objects and Sol, Luna, Gaia/Terra are names. I think Solar System should
probably be capitalized with this thinking because it's Sol's System. BB

Wilson Gray wrote:
> Poster:       Wilson Gray <hwgray at GMAIL.COM>
>
> But doesn't "the other planets are named for gods," and the earth
> isn't, constitute  justification? Am I missing something?
>
> -Wilson
>
> On 8/8/07, Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>
>> Poster:       Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at IX.NETCOM.COM>
>>
>> I think Time magazine mentioned this in an editorial note about planet
>> capitalization around 15 years ago. (It was probably before they
>> downgraded their writing style for mass appeal since that's when I
>> stopped reading it.)
>>
>> They said that they capitalized all the planets except earth because the
>> others are named for gods. I don't recall if there was a justification
>> for not capitalizing earth. BB
>>
>> Wilson Gray wrote:
>>
>>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
>>> Poster:       Wilson Gray <hwgray at GMAIL.COM>
>>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>> >From Slashdot science:
>>>
>>> "[The asteroid] Apophis will pass closer to _earth_ than
>>> geosynchronous satellites orbit."
>>>
>>> I'm pretty sure - though I wouldn't bet money on it - that, back in
>>> the '40's and '50's - the earth was referred to as "_the_ earth." More
>>> recently, it seems to me, "the earth" has been replaced by "Earth."
>>> Here's an instance that's neither "the earth" nor "Earth." It could be
>>> a simple typo, however.
>>>

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