[I hope this is the right place for something like this...]
Apparently someone involved with the Huygens project (the probe that landed on Titan) was a
Tolkien fan.
I queried AI on this (not that I disbelieved it, just curious about it.)
AI response (which got its answers from NASA Science, Reddit, and The Tokienist):
The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has strict, highly specific naming conventions for the planetary nomenclature of features on Saturn's moon Titan, and
J.R.R. Tolkien’s
Middle-earth is the dedicated source for two major types of terrain.
If you look at a topographic
map of Titan, you will find its highest peaks and rolling landscapes sound entirely like a journey through
Arda.
The Naming Rules
The IAU explicitly divides the Tolkien inspiration into two specific categories of geological features:
By official convention, all mountains on Titan must be named after
mountains and peaks from Middle-earth. The data gathered by the Cassini spacecraft’s radar has revealed dozens of these ridges.
- Doom Mons: Named after Amon Amarth (Mount Doom). It is a massive structure that scientists suspect may be a cryovolcano (an ice-spewing volcano).
- Erebor Mons: Named after the Lonely Mountain from The Hobbit.
- Misty Montes: A prominent range named after the Misty Mountains.
- Mithrim Montes: Named after the Mountains of Mithrim in Beleriand (The Silmarillion). This range contains some of the highest elevated points found on Titan.
- Angmar Montes: Named after the Mountains of Angmar.
2. Colles (Collections of Small Hills or Knobs)
While the majestic peaks get the geographical names, clusters of smaller, low hills on Titan are named strictly after
characters from Tolkien's works.
I pointed out to AI that it neglected to mention the Mindolluin Montes.
It agreed with me, but also added this:
Since the IAU relies heavily on Tolkien's geography for Titan's
montes, they didn't stop with Mindolluin. They actually named several neighboring features after other prominent peaks from that same regional system in Middle-earth:
- Irensaga Montes: Named after Irensaga (Iron-saw), the jagged mountain overlooking Dunharrow and the valley of Harrowdale.
- Rerir Montes: Located just southwest of Mindolluin Montes, named after Mount Rerir (a northern peak near Thargelion from The Silmarillion).
- Taniquetil Montes: Located immediately west of Mindolluin Montes, taking its name from the highest peak of Arda, home to Manwë and Varda.