This article is dedicated to the analysis of the principles for translating foreign toponyms into Russian in the context of mapping Jupiter’s moons, using Europa and Ganymede as case studies. The aim of the research is to identify patterns in the adaptation of names used in the planetary nomenclature approved by the International Astronomical Union. The study is based on a database of surface feature names that includes information on their origins, etymology and phonetics, as well as various sources used for translation into Russian (dictionaries, encyclopedias and translations of mythological narratives). The paper examines toponyms of diverse cultural, mythological and geographical origins and analyzes how these factors influence their adaptation to Russian. Special attention is given to the challenges of handling personal names and place names, as well as to issues of terminological accuracy. As a result, key approaches used in the translation process are identified and recommendations for their standardization are proposed.
Khlestunova et al. (2025) studied this question.