NASA ditching insensitive nicknames for cosmic objects - CNET

NASA reconsiders unofficial names given to galaxies and nebulae, such as "Eskimo Nebula," as it works to be more inclusive.

NASA will no longer use the old nickname given to nebula NGC 2392.

"As the scientific community works to identify and address systemic discrimination and inequality in all aspects of the field, it has become clear that certain cosmic nicknames are not only insensitive, but can be actively harmful," the space agency said in a statement Wednesday.

Planetary nebula NGC 2392 has been called the "Eskimo Nebula." "'Eskimo' is widely viewed as a colonial term with a racist history, imposed on the indigenous people of Arctic regions," NASA explained.