When this body was discovered in 1978, Persephone was suggested as its name
Find out everything that you need to know about today’s Jeopardy episode, including the Final Jeopardy, clues and answers, and the contestants plus who won tonight!
CATEGORY: Names in the Heavens
CLUE: When this body was discovered in 1978, Persephone was suggested as its name
ANSWER: Charon
About Today’s Final Jeopardy – Monday, 24 June 2024
When Charon, the largest moon of the dwarf planet Pluto, was discovered in 1978 by American astronomer James Christy, the event marked a significant milestone in the study of the outer solar system. Charon was the first satellite to be identified orbiting Pluto, providing astronomers with vital insights into the nature of this distant dwarf planet. The discovery occurred at the United States Naval Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, where Christy noticed a bulge on the side of Pluto in photographic plates, which later turned out to be Charon. The find was serendipitous, as the resolution of the images taken during that time was not generally expected to reveal celestial bodies as small and distant as Charon. This discovery was particularly crucial as it allowed scientists to calculate more accurately the mass of Pluto by observing the moon’s orbital motion around the planet.
The suggestion to name the newly discovered moon Persephone, after the queen of the underworld in Greek mythology and the wife of Hades (Pluto), seemed apt considering Pluto’s own naming after the Roman god of the underworld. However, there was a significant caveat to this choice. Persephone was already informally used for an asteroid, and naming conventions generally discourage duplication to avoid confusion. Therefore, the name Charon was proposed instead. Charon, the mythological ferryman who transports souls across the river Styx to the underworld, overseen by Pluto, retained the thematic connection to the underworld. This choice was further personalized by Christy, who also saw it as a nod to his wife, Charlene, whose nickname “Char” coincidentally aligned with the mythological theme.
The official adoption of the name Charon by the International Astronomical Union not only recognized its discoverer’s contributions but also further enriched the mythological tapestry of our solar system’s nomenclature. Over the years, Charon has continued to be an object of interest in planetary science, particularly after the New Horizons mission, which flew by Pluto and its moons in 2015. This mission revealed Charon’s surface in unprecedented detail, showing a young, surprisingly active surface marked by canyons, mountains, and evidence of a varied geologic past. These findings have significantly advanced our understanding of both Charon and Pluto, highlighting the dynamic and complex nature of these distant celestial bodies in our solar system.
Who Won Jeopardy Tonight? – Monday, 24 June 2024
Looking to find out who won Jeopardy tonight? Scroll down below to find out everyone’s final scores, as well as the scores after the Single Jeopardy and Double Jeopardy rounds!
| Returning Champion | Contestant | Contestant |
|---|---|---|
| Drew Basile Birmingham, Michigan Graduate Student 3 Day Winnings of $53,282 Winning Score: $22,400 Round 2 Score: $26,400 Round 1 Score: $9,800 | Erin Buker San Pedro, California Stay at Home Mom Final Score: -$7,200 Round 2 Score: -$7,200 Round 1 Score: -$400 | Graham Hicks Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Lighting Designer Final Score: $1 Round 2 Score: $11,000 Round 1 Score: $4,600 |
Final Jeopardy Video – Monday, 24 June 2024
Watch all the videos from today’s Jeopardy episode below, including highlights, behind the scenes outtakes and full episodes.
Final Jeopardy is the final round of the popular American television game show Jeopardy!, in which participants test their knowledge in numerous areas by answering questions. In Final Jeopardy, participants are given a single clue and must wager a percentage of their existing earnings based on their confidence in their ability to successfully respond.
Each contestant surreptitiously writes down their wager during the commercial break. The Final Jeopardy clue is presented when the programme resumes, and participants have 30 seconds to write down their solution in the form of a question (e.g., “What is…?”). When the timer runs out, the host, reveals each contestant’s response and wager in ascending order of their pre-Final Jeopardy scores. The scores of contestants are adjusted based on whether their response is correct or incorrect, as well as the amount wagered. At the end of the round, the contestant with the highest score is proclaimed the winner.