IAU Formally Approves 227 Star Names
IAU Formally Approves 227 Star Names.
You would have thought that some of the stars’ names, like those that form the Ursa Major constellation, which we all are so familiar with had already been formalised. Well, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) just accomplished that for 227 such well known stars on 24 November. This would certainly clarify the multiple spelling attributable to some stars; and the work of the IAU Working Group on Star Names (WGSN) has just begun.
The WGSN consists of an international group of astronomers with expertise in stellar astronomy, astronomical history, and cultural astronomy that will catalogue and standardize proper names for stars for the international astronomical community. Star names will first be drawn upon the extensive historical and world-wide cultural astronomy literature: the WGSN will establish IAU guidelines for the proposal and adoption of names for stars; search the international astronomical history and astronomical culture literature for star names; drawing upon this literature, adopt unique names for stars of scientific and historical value for community use following agreed upon guidelines; and assemble, maintain, publish, and disseminate an official IAU star name catalogue of names for stars and exoplanets. The naming purview for the WGSN is specifically for stars, substellar objects, and stellar remnants, but specifically excludes exoplanets, interstellar medium features (nebulae), and extragalactic objects.
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Read Catalogue Of IAU-Approved Star Names Here:
https://www.iau.org/public/themes/naming_stars/
