This week, we kick off a four-part exploration of the names of the planets. Rhiannon’s first installment covers Mercury and Venus. We look at the mythology behind four different names applied to each of these two heavenly bodies. Don’t worry, we still get our weekly fix of science and etymology!
Royalty-free music courtesy of pixabay.com. Movements of Holst’s Planets suite are in the public domain.
***Recommendation of the Week: What is a Planet?***

• https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/in-depth/

***Scientific***

• https://www.britannica.com/place/Venus-planet
• https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/mercury/overview/
• https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/venus/overview/
• https://www.universetoday.com/13957/discovery-of-planet-mercury/

***Dictionaries***

• https://www.dictionary.com/browse/sound
• https://www.etymonline.com/word/*pele-?ref=etymonline_crossreference#etymonline_v_52599
• https://www.etymonline.com/word/planet#etymonline_v_16437
• https://www.etymonline.com/word/polysemy?ref=etymonline_crossreference

***Sumerian***

• https://www.ancient.eu/Enki/
• https://www.ancient.eu/Ninhursag/
• http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/amgg/listofdeities/nabu/

***Chinese***

• http://www.weasner.com/etx/fun/2008/little/Names_of_the_Planets.htm
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthly_Branches#Twelve_branches
• https://www.yourchineseastrology.com/zodiac/story/dragon.htm

***Norse***

• https://www.britannica.com/topic/Odin-Norse-deity
• https://norse-mythology.org/gods-and-creatures/the-aesir-gods-and-goddesses/odin/
• https://norse-mythology.org/tales/odins-discovery-of-the-runes/

***Roman***

• https://www.ancient.eu/venus/
• https://mythopedia.com/roman-mythology/gods/mercury/#mythology
• https://www.theoi.com/Olympios/JudgementParis.html
• http://www.tribunesandtriumphs.org/roman-gods/myths-about-the-roman-goddess-venus.htm
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_(mythology)#Origins

***Siberian***

• https://www.rbth.com/travel/329698-father-frosts-santa-russia
• https://eng.russia.travel/journals/331962/

***Mayan***

• https://www.gods-and-goddesses.com/mayan/kukulkan/
• https://www.windows2universe.org/mythology/Kukulcan_venus.html&edu=high

***Greek***

• https://www.britannica.com/topic/Lucifer-classical-mythology
• https://www.etymonline.com/word/Mercury#etymonline_v_14662
• https://greekgodsandgoddesses.net/gods/hesperus/
• https://greekgodsandgoddesses.net/gods/phosphorus/