Overheard: Canopus pronunciation

Astronomy 210, Spring Semester 2009
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

(Overheard in lecture during a clicker question on apparent magnitude, absolute magnitude, and distance.)

Instructor: "...so how far away is Canopus [can-o-PUS] from the Earth?"

(Beat.)

Instructor: "I mean, Canopus [KAH-no-pis]. Because Canopus [can-o-PUS] sounds kind of gross."

Students: (Chortle.)

Esprit d'escalier:
Instructor: "In astronomy, if it sounds wrong when you pronounce something, you're pronouncing something wrong."