The Month

Nomenclature

What should the month be called?

General

Areomonth

The term is derived from "Ares" and "month".

Pro

Con

Heinlein

The term is named for Robert A. Heinlein, science fiction author, who described a 24-month calendar in Red Planet, 1949.

Pro

Con

Martian month

Pro

Con

This term might be truncated to "month" in commom usage, resulting in confusing a Martian month with an Earth month, which may be different units of time.

Mastharnorvod

This term was coined by H. Beam Piper in "Omnilingual," 1957.

Pro

Con

Mensis

The term is Latin for "month."

Pro

Latin is the basic language for Martian geographic nomenclature.

Con

MMonth

Pro

Con

This term might be truncated to "month" in commom usage, resulting in confusing a Martian month with an Earth month, which may be different units of time.

Month

Pro

Con

The term does not explicitly distinguish between an Earth month and a Martian month, which may be different units of time.

Quarter

Pro

Con

Quint

Pro

Con

Teean

The term was coined by Edgar Rice Burroughs, but did not appear in any of his tales of Barsoom.

Pro

Con

What naming convention should be used for the months of the year?

General

Table Table of Month Names and Lengths

Alphabetical artificial

24 months: Adir, Bora, Coan, Deti, Edal, Flo, Geor, Heliba, Idanon, Jowani, Kireal, Larno, Medior, Neturima, Ozulikan, Pasurabi, Rudiakel, Safundo, Tiunor, Ulasja, Vadeun, Wakumi, Xetual, Zungo

Pro

A system of artificial names makes it easier to memorize a large number of new month names and has the added possibility to reflect other rhythms in the names (for instance odd-even, summer-winter, long-short) Furthermore, it emphasizes the uniqueness of Martian civilization.

Con

Source Documents:
Document The Darian Defrost Calendar
Frans Blok
Document The Rotterdam Month and Weekday Naming System
Frans Blok
Document Waar blijft de tijd op Mars?
Frans Blok
Document Clock and Calendar
Shaun Moss

Alphabetical historical

This system was suggested for a 24-month calendar; however, only the first (Aldrin) and last (Zubrin) names were defined.

Pro

Con

Source Documents:
Document Rationale for the Martian Calendar's Structure
Bill Hollon

Biographical

12 months: Copernicus, Brahe, Kepler, Galileo, Lowell , Wells, Burroughs, Asimov, Bradbury, Moorcock, Robinson, NASA

This system is expandable, since there are many more historical names.

Pro

Con

Source Documents:
Document Martian Calendar
Roger E. Kuiper

Chemical elements

19 months: Hydrogen, Helium, Lithium, Beryllium, Boron, Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Fluorine, Neon, Sodium, Magnesium, Aluminum, Silicon, Phosphorus, Sulphur, Chlorine, Argon, Potassium

22 months: Hydrogen, Helium, Lithium, Beryllium, Boron, Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Fluorine, Neon, Sodium, Magnesium, Aluminum, Silicon, Phosphorus, Sulphur, Chlorine, Argon, Potassium, Calcium, Scandium, Titanium

23 months: Hydrogen, Helium, Lithium, Beryllium, Boron, Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Fluorine, Neon, Sodium, Magnesium, Aluminum, Silicon, Phosphorus, Sulphur, Chlorine, Argon, Potassium, Calcium, Scandium, Titanium, Vanadium

24 months: Hydrogen, Helium, Lithium, Beryllium, Boron, Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Fluorine, Neon, Sodium, Magnesium, Aluminum, Silicon, Phosphorus, Sulphur, Chlorine, Argon, Potassium, Calcium, Scandium, Titanium, Vanadium, Chromium

This system is expandable, since there are many more chemical elements.

Pro

Con

Source Documents:
Document Elemental Martian Calendars
Terry Phelan

Greek alphabetical

This system was designed for a 19-month calendar; however, there are 24 letters in the Greek alphabet: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Zeta, Eta, Theta, Iota, Kappa, Lambda, Mu, Nu, Xi, Omicron, Pi, Rho, Sigma, Tau, Upsilon, Phi, Chi, Psi, Omega

Pro

Con

"Q" + Greek alphabetical

This system was designed for a 20-month calendar; however, there are 24 letters in the Greek alphabet: Qalfa, Qbeta, Qgamma, Qdelta, Qepsilon, Qzeta, Qeta, Qtheta, Qiota, Qkappa, Qlambda, Qmu, Qnu, Qxi, Qomikron, Qpi, Qrho, Qsigma, Qtau, Qupsilon, Qphi, Qchi, Qpsi, Qomega

Pro

Con

Source Documents:
Document The QS Calender for Mars
Jelmer Oosthoek

Greek mythological

20 months: Eos, Hermes, Eros, Aphrodite, Apollo, Athena, Poseidon, Helius, Demeter, Persephone, Artemis, Gaea, Selene, Theia, Boreas, Hestia, Hephaestus, Asclepius, Hera, Zeus

This system is expandable, since there are many more names in Greek mythology.

Pro

Con

Source Documents:
Document The Millennium Mars Calendar
James M. Graham and Kandis Elliot

Latin and Greek cardinal numerical + "mon"

24 months: unimon, duomon, trimon, quatermon, pentamon, hexamon, septimon, octomon, novemon, decimon, unideon, duodeon, trideon, quaterdeon, pentadeon, hexadeon, septideon, octodeon, novedeon, gagareon, shepardeon, glenneon, armstreon, aldrineon.

Pro

Latin is the basic language for Martian geographic nomenclature.

Con

Latin ordinal numerical

22 months: Prima, Secunda, Tertia, Quarta, Quinta, Sexta, Septima, Octava, Nona, Decima, Undecima, Duuodecima, Tertia Decima, Quarta Decima, Quinta Decima, Sexta Decima, Septima Decima, Duodevicesima, Undevicesima, Vicesima, Vicesima Prima, Vicesima Secunda.

Pro

Latin is the basic language for Martian geographic nomenclature.

Con

Source Documents:
Document A Mars Calendar
Richard Weidner

Latin zodiacal

12 months: Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpius, Sagittarius, Capricornus, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus

Pro

Latin is the basic language for Martian geographic nomenclature. This system is widely known, but is not applied to months on Earth, so there is no possibility of confusion between Earth dates and Martian dates.

Con

This system is popularly connected to astrology.

Source Documents:
Document Zubrin's Mars Calendar
Peter Kokh
Document Martian Timekeeping
Anders Ström
Document An Explanation of Zubrin's Mars Calendar
Paul J. Thomas
Document A Calendar for Mars
Robert Zubrin
Document A Calendar for the Planet Mars
Robert Zubrin

Latin zodiacal + additional constellations

There are two 24-month naming systems:

Sagittarius, Lyra, Capricorn, Cygnus, Aquarius, Pegasus, Pisces, Phoenix, Aries, Perseus, Taurus, Orion, Gemini, Columba, Cancer, Lynx, Leo, Hydra, Virgo, Crux, Libra, Ursa, Scorpius, Draco

Taurus, Orion, Gemini, Monoceros, Cancer, Hydra, Leo, Corvus, Virgo, Centaurus, Libra, Lupus, Scorpius, Ophiuchus, Sagittarius, Aquila, Capricornus, Pegasus, Aquarius, Cetus, Pisces, Andromeda, Aries, Perseus

Pro

Con

Source Documents:
Document Martian Dreams Time System
Linda Naughton and Robert O'Meara
Document Options for Martian Timekeeping
William Woods

Latin zodiacal + French Revolutionary

22-23 months (24 names): Aries, Germinal, Taurus, Floreal, Gemini, Prairial, Cancer, Messidor, Leo, Thermidor, Virgo, Fructidor, Libra, Vendemaire, Scorpio, Brumaire, Sagittarius, Frimaire, Capricorn, Nivose, Aquarius, Pluviose, Pisces, Ventose

Pro

Con

Source Documents:
Document Time on Mars
John J. G. Savard

Latin zodiacal + Sanskrit zodiacal

Each of the 12 Latin names of the zodiacal constellations is followed by its Sanskrit name for a total of 24 months: Sagittarius, Dhanus, Capricornus, Makara, Aquarius, Kumbha, Pisces, Mina, Aries, Mesha, Taurus, Rishabha, Gemini, Mithuna, Cancer, Karka, Leo, Simha, Virgo, Kanya, Libra, Tula, Scorpius, Vrishika.

A proposed variation on this system is: Sagittar, Danno, Capricorn, Macara, Aquario, Comwa, Pisce, Minna, Arie, Mesha, Tauro, Rishwa, Gemini, Mithna, Cancer, Carca, Leo, Simma, Virgo, Canya, Libra, Tula, Scorpio, Weshca.

Pro

This system of names is a balance of eastern and western cultural influences. Half of the names are well known in western culture and are easy to remember. All of the names are fairly easy to pronounce.

Con

Source Documents:
Document The Darian System
Thomas Gangale

Martian fictional

One system was suggested by H. Beam Piper in "Omniligual", 1957. It was intended for a 10-month calendar; however, only 6 names were defined: Trav, Sanv, Krav, unknown, Doma, unknown, unknown, Yenth, unknown, Nor.

Another system contains seven names: Shirtu, Qushtu, Sarru, Barsoom, Mushartu, Kajjaamanu, Yuggoth.

Pro

Con

Source Documents:
Document Le Calendrier Martien
Olivier Prud'homme

Martian geographic

20 months: Pavonis, Ascraeus, Syrtis, Olympus, Elysium, Alba, Borealis, Acidalia, Kasei, Isidis, Ares, Noctis, Marineris, Hellas, Argyre, Malea, Promethei, Noachis, Tyrrhena, Arsia.

22 months: Pavonis, Ascraeus, Syrtis, Olympus, Elysium, Hecates, Alba, Borealis, Acidalia, Kasei, Isidis, Ares, Noctis, Marineris, Coprates, Hellas, Argyre, Malea, Promethei, Noachis, Tyrrhena, Arsia

This system is expandable, since there are many more names in Martian geography.

Pro

Con

Source Documents:
Document Explanation of the Pavonian Calendar
Mark Knoke

Numerical

This system can support any number of months: 1, 2, 3, 4....

Pro

Con

"Numerical" really isn't a naming convention.

Roman

12 months: Januarius, Februarius, Martius, Aprilis, Maius, Junius Julius, Augustus, September, October, November, December

Other examples are modern linguistic variations: English, French, German, et cetera.

Pro

Latin is the basic language for Martian geographic nomenclature.

Con

Con

If modern language variants of the Roman names are used, this system does not explicitly distinguish between Earth months and Martian months, which may create confusion between Earth dates and Martian dates.

Source Documents:
Document Seasons on Mars
Frank N. Bauregger
Document Mars Calendar
Blort
Document Time Keeping on Mars
Alan Dechert
Document The Darian System
Thomas Gangale
Document The Fortieth of July
Pierre Hallet
Document Mars Clock and Calendar
I. M. Levitt
Document Calendario en Marte
Miguel Angel Serra Martín
Document Mars Calendar
Miguel Angel Serra Martín

Roman extended

Since most of the Roman months originally had numerical names, is has been suggested that the system could be extended in a straightforward manner.

16 months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, Undecember, Duodecember, Tredecember, Quatourdecember

22 months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, Undecember, Duodecember, Tredecember, Quatourdecember, Quindecember, Sedecember, Septemdecember, Duodevigintis, Undevigintis, Vigintis

24 months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, Undecember, Duodecember, Tredecember, Quatourdecember, Quindecember, Sedecember, Septemdecember, Duodevigintis, Undevigintis, Vigintis, Unvigintis, Duovigintis

Pro

Con

This system does not explicitly distinguish between Earth months and Martian months, which may create confusion between Earth dates and Martian dates.

Source Documents:
Document The Fortieth of July
Pierre Hallet

Roman truncated + "Ar" prefix

12 months: Arjan, Arfeb, Armar, Arear, Armay, Arjun, Arjul, Araug, Arsep, Aroct, Arnov, Ardec

Pro

Con

Source Documents:
Document Martian Timekeeping
Geoffrey Briggs and Howard Houben

Roman + "1/2"

24 months: 1 January, 2 January, 1 February, 2 February, 1 March, 2 March, 1 April, 2 April, 1 May, 2 May, 1 June, 2 June, 1 July, 2 July, 1 August, 2 August, 1 September, 2 September, 1 October, 2 October, 1 November, 2 November, 1 December, 2 December

Pro

Con

Roman + "I/II"

24 months: January I, January II, February I, February II, March I, March II, April I, April II, May I, May II, June I, June II, July I, July II, August I, August II, September I, September II, October I, October II, November I, November II, December I, December II

Pro

Con

Source Documents:
Document Martian Clock and Calendar
Mickey D. Schmidt

Roman + "A/B"

24 months: January A, January B, February A, February B, March A, March B, April A, April B, May A, May B, June A, June B, July A, July B, August A, August B, September A, September B, October A, October B, November A, November B, December A, December B

Pro

Con

Source Documents:
Document A Calendar for Mars
Josef Šurán

Roman + "Alpha/Beta"

23 months: Alpha-January, Beta-January, Alpha-February, Beta-February, Alpha-March, Beta-March, Alpha-April, Beta-April, Alpha-May, Beta-May, Alpha-June, Beta-June, Alpha-July, Beta-July, Alpha-August, Beta-August, Alpha-September, Beta-September, Alpha-October, Beta-October, Alpha-November, Beta-November, Alpha-December

Pro

Con

Source Documents:
Document Simplest Possible Mars Calendar Used in the Novel As It Is On Mars
Thomas W. Cronin

Roman + "P/D"

24 months: January P, January D, February P, February D, March P, March D, April P, April D, May P, May D, June P, June D, July P, July D, August P, August D, September P, September D, October P, October D, November P, November D, December P, December D

Pro

Con

Source Documents:
Document A Calendar for Mars
Josef Šurán

Roman + "one/ide"

24 months: Januarione, Januaride, Februarione, Februaride, Marchone, Marchide, Aprilone, Aprilide, Mayone, Mayide, Juneone, Junide, Julyone, Julyide, Augustone, Augustide, Septemberone, Septemberide, Octoberone, Octoberide, Novemberone, Novemberide, Decemberone, Decemberide

Pro

Con

Source Documents:
Document A Calendar for Mars
Josef Šurán

Roman + additional arbitrary

16 months: January, February, Geldof, March, April, May, June, Yorte, July, August, September, Herjber, October, November, December, Vidman

Pro

Con

This system does not explicitly distinguish between Earth months and Martian months, which may create confusion between Earth dates and Martian dates.

Source Documents:
Document Towards a Better Martian Calendar
Mark Knoke

Roman + additional biographical

22 months: January, February, Bradbury, Clarke, March, April, May, Beltaine, Adumah, Kepler, June, July, August, Darius, Sagan, Tsiolkovsky, September, October, November, Sirius, Hypatia, December

Pro

Con

This system does not explicitly distinguish between Earth months and Martian months, which may create confusion between Earth dates and Martian dates.

Source Documents:
Document A Mars Proleptic Calendar and Sol-Date Timing Reference
Michael Allison

Roman + additional mythological

This system was suggested by Robert A. Heinlein in Red Planet, 1949. It was intended for a 24-month calendar; however, only 14 names were defined. March was followed by Ceres, and October was followed by Zeus.

Pro

Con

Roman + Latin zodiacal +"mon"

24 months: Janumon, Aquarimon, Februamon, Piscemon, Marsmon, Ariesmon, Aprilismon, Taurusmon, Mayamon, Geminimon, Junomon, Cancermon, Juliusmon, Leomon, Augustusmon, Virgomon, Septemon, Libramon, Octomon, Scorpiomon, Novemon, Sagittarimon, Decemon, Capricormon

Pro

Con

Season + ordinal numerical

This system was designed for a 16-month calendar: 1st Spring, 2nd Spring, 3rd Spring, 1st Summer, 2nd Summer, 3rd Summer, 1st Autumn, 2nd Autumn, 3rd Autumn, 1st Winter, 2nd Winter, 3rd Winter

This system can support any number of months.

Pro

Con

Source Documents:
Document Time Measures on Mars
Robert G. Aitken

Season + numerical prefix

This system was designed for a 24-month calendar: Vernalis, Duvernalis, Trivernalis, Quadrivernalis, Pentavernalis, Hexavernalis, Aestas, Duestas, Triestas, Quadrestas, Pentestas, Hexestas, Autumnus, Duautumn, Triautumn, Quadrautumn, Pentautumn, Hexautumn, Unember, Duember, Triember, Quadrember, Pentember, Hexember

This system can support any number of months.

Pro

Con

Solar system mythological

This system consists of alternative mythological names for the Sun, Moon, and nine planets, plus the names of seven other bodies in the Solar System. It was designed for a 19-month calendar: Ra, Hermes, Ishtar, Gaea, Selene, Nergal, Ceres, Zeus, Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Ninib, Titan, Muse, Poseidon, Triton, Dis, Universe.

This system is expandable, since there are many other bodies in the Solar System.

Pro

Con

Source Documents:
Document A Thought for the Future
William H. Becker

There shouldn't be any names

Pro

Not only will Martian children have to learn the names of 24 months but the abbreviations as well, yet will still probably deal with entirely numeric dates in their day-to-day lives. Why add an additional layer of nomenclature beyond pure numbers?

Con

There is nothing hard about learning 24 ordered names. It is only a matter of either the need or the desire to learn. After all, almost every child can learn an alphabet.

Nearly every--if not every--human culture has given names to the months of the year. This apparently serves a basic social and cultural need that is general to human nature, not specific to any one human society. It is not unreasonable to extrapolate from past human culture and arrive at the conclusion that humans will want to have names for the months of the year on Mars. Quite the reverse, it is unreasonable to argue that they will NOT want to do so.