Naming of Astronomical Objects | IAU Naming of Astronomical Objects Naming of Astronomical Objects Naming of Astronomical Objects Celestial nomenclature has long been a controversial topic. At its inaugural meeting in 1922 in Rome, the IAU standardized the constellation names and abbreviations . More recently IAU Committees or Working Groups have certified the names of astronomical objects and features. In the following links you can find further information on how different objects and features are named. Quick links: Spelling of Names Questions have been asked about the proper English spelling of names of astronomical objects, especially as regards capitalization of such names. The IAU formally recommends that the initial letters of the names of individual astronomical objects should be printed as capitals (see the IAU Style Manual, Trans. Int. Astron. Union, volume 20B, 1989; Chapter 8, page S30 – PDF file ); e.g., Earth, Sun, Moon, etc. "The Earth's equator" and "Earth is a planet in the Solar System" are examples of correct spelling according to these rules. It is emphasized, however, that language conventions are the responsibility of individual nations or groups of nations.

While the IAU is willing to help to achieve a minimum degree of orthographic consistency as regards astronomical terms, it cannot undertake to do so for all languages, nor is it in the power of the IAU to enforce the application of any such conventions. Naming of Solar System Objects and Features The IAU has been the arbiter of planetary and satellite nomenclature since its inception in 1919. The various IAU Working Groups normally handle this process, and their decisions primarily affect the professional astronomers. But from time to time the IAU takes decisions and makes recommendations on issues concerning astronomical matters affecting other sciences or the public. Such decisions and recommendations are not enforceable by any national or international law; rather they establish conventions that are meant to help our understanding of astronomical objects and processes. Hence, IAU recommendations should rest on well-established scientific facts and have a broad consensus in the community concerned. Major Planets and the Moon The eight major planets in our Solar System and Earth's satellite have official IAU names. The names of the major planets were already in common use when the IAU formed in 1919 (e.g. scientifically, in professional and amateur astronomy literature, in nautical almanacs, etc.).

However, the names of the planets have been included in wording for IAU resolutions multiple times since the IAU's founding and these names can be considered formally adopted by the IAU membership. While there are cultural names for the planets and Earth's satellite in other languages, there are classic names for the major planets and Moon which appear in English language IAU resolutions and the IAU Style Manual (which was approved by an IAU resolution in 1988). What follows is a partial list of instances of use of these planet names, but it is by no means exhaustive. This compilation demonstrates, however, that the names of the planets and Moon have appeared in IAU resolutions (or in wording of documents approved by IAU resolution) approved by IAU General Assemblies multiple times, and continue to be in ubiquitous use. 1976: The names of the then major planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto) and the Earth's satellite (Moon) appear in IAU Resolution No. 10, which was approved by the XVIth General Assembly of the IAU in Grenoble, France in 1976.

1988: The IAU XXth General Assembly — which met in Baltimore in 1988 — approved IAU Resolution A3 on the Improvement of Publications, which recognized "the importance of identifying astronomical objects by clear and unambiguous designations" and recommended "that the authors and editors of the astronomical literature adopt the recommendations in the IAU Style Manual". The "IAU Style Manual (1989): The Preparation of Astronomical Papers and Reports" by George A. Wilkins (President of IAU Commission 5) was published in December 1988, and reprinted as Chapter VIII ("IAU Style Book") in the "Transactions of the International Astronomical Union Vol. XXB: Proceedings of the Twentieth General Assembly Baltimore 1988" (1990; ed. Derek McNally; Kluwer Academic Publishers; Dordrecht). The IAU Style Manual Sec. 5.25 lists the names of the "principal planets" as Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.

2006: IAU Resolution B5 (Definition of a Planet in the Solar System) explicitly lists the eight planets Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. While Resolution B5 defined the category of dwarf planet, Resolution B6 explicitly lists Pluto as an example. One also sees these planet names are used ubiquitously by modern IAU working groups (e.g. IAU Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature , the IAU Working Group on Cartographic Coordinates and Rotational Elements in their recent report by Archinal et al. 2011 Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy, Vol. 109, Issue 2, pp. 101-135, etc.). So the IAU does recognize official names for the major planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) and Earth's satellite (Moon). Planetary Features Planetary nomenclature, like terrestrial nomenclature, is used to uniquely identify a feature on the surface of a planet or satellite so that the feature can be easily located, described, and discussed.

The procedure is as follows: When the first images of the surface of a planet or satellite are obtained, themes for naming features are chosen and names of a few important features are proposed, usually by members of the appropriate IAU task group. As higher resolution images and maps become available, names for additional features may be requested by investigators mapping or describing specific surfaces or geological formations. At this point, anyone may suggest that a specific name be considered by a Task Group , but there is no guarantee that the name will be accepted. Please submit name requests via this form . Names successfully reviewed by a task group are submitted by the task group chair to the Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN) . Upon successful review by vote of the members of the WGPSN, names are considered approved as official IAU nomenclature, and can be used on maps and in publications. Approved names are immediately entered into the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature , and posted on its web site. Any objections to these names based on significant substantive problems or inconsistent application of normal IAU naming convention must be forwarded in writing or email to the IAU General-Secretary within three months from the time the name was placed on the web site.

The General-Secretary will make a recommendation to the WGPSN Chair as to whether or not the approved name(s) should be reconsidered. The General-Secretary, in concurrence with the IAU President, may seek the advice of external consultants. (from ) Definition of a Planet We invite you to consult the IAU Resolutions 5 and 6 (PDF file, 92KB) adopted on August 2006, at our XXVIth General Assembly in Prague, as well as the press release published on the occasion . The following theme article may also be of interest: . Dwarf Planets Dwarf planets are planetary-mass objects orbiting the Sun that are massive enough to be rounded by their own gravity, but are not planets or satellites. Unlike planets, these bodies have not cleared the neighbourhood around their orbits, and their paths sometimes cross with other, often similar, objects. There are currently five identified dwarf planets in our Solar System, each named after a God from Greek, Polynesian, or Roman mythologies. These five bodies are Ceres, Pluto, Haumea, Makemake, and Eris.

In addition all of these but Ceres are also classified as plutoids, meaning that they are dwarf planets that orbit beyond Neptune and have an absolute magnitude H greater than 1. There are several stages before a proposed name is accepted: When a body is initially sighted it is given a provisional name, which is later superseded by a permanent numerical designation once its orbit has been well determined. The discovery team suggests a suitable name to the two relevant IAU groups — the working groups for Small Body Nomenclature ( CSBN ) and Planetary System Nomenclature ( WGPSN ) — who together are responsible for naming dwarf planets. The name is intended to reflect the characteristics of the body itself, and be an appropriate moniker derived from mythology. Objects, including dwarf planets, far beyond the orbit of Neptune are expected to be given the name of a deity or figure related to creation; for example Makemake, the Polynesian creator of humanity and god of fertility, and Haumea, the Hawaiian goddess of fertility and childbirth. The IAU finally decides on the assignment of the name, priority given to the ones proposed by the discoverers. Dwarf planets may not share a name with any other small Solar System bodies.

The names of features on the bodies in the Pluto system are related to mythology and the literature and history of exploration: Pluto: Names for the Underworld from the world's mythologies. Gods, goddesses, and dwarfs associated with the Underworld. Heroes and other explorers of the Underworld. Writers associated with Pluto and the Kuiper Belt. Scientists and engineers associated with Pluto and the Kuiper Belt. Charon: Destinations and milestones of fictional space and other exploration. Fictional and mythological vessels of space and other exploration. Fictional and mythological voyagers, travellers and explorers. Styx: Dogs from literature, mythology and history. Hydra: Legendary serpents and dragons. Satellites of Planets in the Solar System The WGPSN is responsible for naming of satellites of planets. With the agreement of the WGPSN, the CSBN will assume responsibility for the naming of satellites of minor planets. The WGPSN is responsible for naming of satellites of planets. Modern technology has made it possible to discover satellites down to 1 km in size or even smaller.

The greatly increased discovery rate of satellites has made it necessary to extend the existing name categories for the satellites of Jupiter and Saturn whose names are drawn from the Greco-Roman mythology. The Jovian satellites have previously been named for Zeus/Jupiter's lovers and favorites but now Zeus' descendants are also included as an allowable source of names. The satellites of Saturn have so far been named for the Greco-Roman Titans, descendants of the Titans, Giants and the Roman god of the beginning. In order to internationalize the names, we now also allow names of giants and monsters in other mythologies (so far Gallic, Inuit and Norse). The process of naming newly discovered natural satellites is as follows: When reported to the IAU Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams, the object is assigned a provisional name, consisting on the letter S followed by the year of discovery and a number indicating the order of discovery within that year. When the satellite is confirmed, the discoverer suggests a final name. Expanding on past practice, satellites of minor planets will, where possible and appropriate, receive names of mythological characters closely related to the name of the primary and suggesting the relative sizes.

For example, binary transneptunian objects of comparable size should receive the names of twins or siblings, consistent with the current principle of using names of gods of creation or the underworld. As another example, satellites that share Pluto's orbital rhythm should take the name of underworld deities, as Pluto itself is named after the Roman god of the underworld who was able to render himself invisible. The IAU finally decides on the assignment of the name, priority given to the ones proposed by the discoverers. More information: Public Naming of Planets and Planetary Satellites: Reaching Out for Worldwide Recognition with the Help of the IAU ( PDF file , 128KB) More information on planetary nomenclature can be found on the USGS FAQ section Explanation regarding the names given to planets and satellites can be found in: The latest updates on nomenclature of features on the surface of satellites (craters, mountains, valleys, etc) can be found on the Planetary Surface Feature News page Minor Planets The assignment of a particular name to a particular minor planet is the end of a long process that can take many decades: It begins with the discovery of a Minor Planet that cannot be identified with any already-known object.

Such Minor Planets are given a provisional designation. The provisional designations are based on the date of discovery and are assigned by the Minor Planet Center (MPC) according to a well defined formula that involves the year of discovery, two letters and, if need be, further digits (for example 1989 AC or 2002 LM60). When the orbit of a Minor Planet becomes well enough determined that the position can be reliably predicted far into the future (typically this means after the Minor Planet has been observed at four or more oppositions), the Minor Planet receives a permanent designation - number issued sequentially by the Minor Planet Center, for example (433), (4179) or (50000). When a Minor Planet receives a permanent number, the discoverer of the Minor Planet is invited to suggest a name for it. The discoverer has this privilege for a period of ten years following the numbering of the object. The discoverer writes a short citation explaining the reasons for assigning the name according to the guidelines of the IAU.

All proposed names are judged by the fifteen-person Working Group for Small Body Nomenclature (CSBN) of the IAU, comprised of professional astronomers with research interests connected with Minor Planets and/or comets from around the world. Proposed names should be: non-offensive not too similar to an existing name of a Minor Planet or natural Planetary satellite. The names of individuals or events principally known for political or military activities are unsuitable until 100 years after the death of the individual or the occurrence of the event. In addition, names of pet animals are discouraged names of a purely or principally commercial nature are not allowed. There are more detailed guidelines for unusual Minor Planets in certain dynamical groups, for example: Trojan asteroids (those that librate in 1:1 resonance with Jupiter) are named for heroes of the Trojan War (Greeks at L4 and Trojans at L5). Trans-Jovian Planets crossing or approaching the orbit of a giant Planet but not in a stabilizing resonance (so called Centaurs) are named for centaurs.

Objects crossing or approaching the orbit of Neptune and in stabilizing resonances other than 1:1 (notably the Plutinos at the 2:3 resonance) are given mythological names associated with the underworld. Objects sufficiently outside Neptune's orbit that orbital stability is reasonably assured for a substantial fraction of the lifetime of the solar system (so called Cubewanos or "classical" TNOs) are given mythological names associated with creation. Objects that approach or cross Earth's orbit (so called Near Earth Asteroids) are generally given mythological names. Accepted names become official when they are published, along with their accompanying citations, in the Minor Planet Circulars, issued monthly by the Minor Planet Center. The CSBN recognizes the need to limit the numbers of Minor Planets named, and it requests individual discoverers and teams to propose no more than two names each two months. Contrary to some recent media reports it is not possible to buy a name for a minor planet. If you have a name you would like to apply to a minor planet, the best advice is "Go out and discover one!". The alphabetic list of all names is available at the Minor Planet Center including the discovery circumstances.

More information: MPC page on naming minor bodies: MPC guide to minor body astrometry: Comets A comet is a body made of rock and ice, typically a few kilometres in diameter, which orbits the Sun. Comets may pass by the Sun only once or go through the Solar System periodically. A comet’s tail is formed when the Sun’s heat warms the coma or nucleus, which releases vapours into space. During the 19th century, comets were only given names after their second apparition, while those that had only appeared once were designated by a combination of year of discovery, numbers (both Arabic and Roman) and letters. Sometimes, the name of the discoverer was referred to in parentheses. It was not until the 20th century that comets were routinely named after their discoverers. Today, the IAU’s Committee on Small Body Nomenclature (CSBN) is the responsible body for strategic matters related to comet naming. When a comet is discovered and confirmed, the Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams (CBAT) announces it on behalf of the IAU.

It is then given a designation according to the following pattern (see Resolution C.5 approved by the IAU in 1995 on p.32 of this PDF ): A prefix, alluding to the type of comet, which can be any of the following: P/ for a periodic comet. C/ for a comet that is not periodic. X/ for a comet for which a meaningful orbit cannot be computed. D/ for a periodic comet that no longer exists or is deemed to have disappeared. The year of discovery. An uppercase letter identifying the half-month of observation during that year (A for first half of January, B for second half and so on). A number representing the order of discovery within that half month. As an example, the third comet discovered in the second half of January 2013, and classified as periodic, would be designated as P/2013 B3. The precise method, including exceptions and special cases, is described in the Cometary Designation System IAU resolution. When a periodic comet is observed after its second apparition, the IAU’s Minor Planet Center (MPC) gives it a permanent number indicating the order of the discovery.

To complete the designation, a comet is given the name of its two first discoverers (last name for an individual or one word or acronym for a team of astronomers). The names appear in chronological order and separated by a hyphen. In very rare cases the title can consist of three discoverers, or can even be generic. Examples of complete titles for comets (whether provisional or final) are 119P/Parker-Hartley, C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp) or 146P/Shoemaker-LINEAR. More detailed guidelines explaining the process of assigning the names of the discoverers to a comet can be found in this IAU document . Also read this essay on the web pages of the International Comet Quarterly. Naming Objects Outside the Solar System Stars See the dedicated page " Naming Stars ". Nebulae, Galaxies, and Other Objects The designation of astronomical objects beyond the Solar System should consist of at least two parts — a leading acronym and a sequence value. An acronym is a code specifying the catalogue or collection of sources, conforming to the following rules, among others: It should consist of at least three characters (letters and/or numerals, avoiding special characters).

The acronym must be unique. Acronyms should not be excessively long. Sequence: a string of usually alpha-numerical characters that uniquely identify the source within the catalogue. Common values for the sequence are: Running number. Based on the coordinates of the object. Equatorial Coordinates shall always be preceded by J if they are for the standard equinox of J2000.0. More information: Complete specifications concerning designations for astronomical radiation sources outside the solar system are published by the Working Group on Astronomical Designations in IAU Commission B2. See for more details. EXAM 1 STUDY GUIDE EXAM 1 STUDY GUIDE EXAM DATE: Wednesday October 12th (Monday/Wednesday classes) Tuesday October 11th (Tuesday Evening class) TIME: Normal class time (Be prompt!

The exam will start at the beginning of class and will last only 1 hour) UNITS COVERED: 5, 13, 7, 9, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18 (in that order) The exam will consist of true/false, multiple choice, and essay style questions. WHAT SUBJECTS DID WE COVER? We have covered a large range of topics thus far. The first exam will test your comprehension of the following subjects: Organization of the Sky: Why do astronomers need to organize the sky? What was the role of constellations in ancient times? What is the role of constellations today? What is the Bayer Designation System used for? How does it work? The Celestial Sphere: Know the components of the celestial sphere (NCP, SCP, celestial equator, ecliptic, etc.) Understand the apparent motions of celestial objects (diurnal motion, solar/sidereal day, etc.) How do the movements of objects in the sky help you know where you are on Earth? Understand the difference between "rotation" vs.

"revolution" The Seasons: How does the current calendar system work? (explain why leap year is necessary and how the Gregorian system for leap year works) What do we observe about the Sun and its movements? (rising and setting position of the Sun along the horizon, altitude of the Sun at noon, length of day/night during different times of the year, etc.) What causes the seasons? (be able to explain all of the details of how the tilt creates observed seasonal changes.) How are the seasons different for different places on earth? (what do you observe from the different locations?) Why is it hotter in the summer and cooler in the winter? Lunar Phases: What are the different surface features of the Moon? (craters, lunar maria) What does synchronous rotation mean? How does it affect how you see the Moon over time? Why do the phases of the Moon occur? Describe each phase using the correct name along with your description. How are the (1) phase of the Moon (2) position of the Moon in the sky (3) time of day; of the Moon related? Eclipses: What are the different types of eclipses? What are the mechanics behind each type of eclipse? What do we observe?

Why are eclipses rare? How is the duration of totality determined? What makes it longer/shorter? Geocentric Cosmology: What is "geocentrism"? Why did the ancient people of the Earth believe in it? Describe the observed motions of the planets (how do they appear to move throughout the sky?) Describe the original explanation of epicyclic motion suggested by Aristotle. Describe the Ptolemeic model (Be able to describe it and how it worked). What were some of the successful (correct) discoveries of the ancient Greeks? Why was geocentrism accepted for so long? Heliocentric Cosmology: The Copernican Model (how was it superior to the Ptolemeic model?) Tycho Brahe (what did he contribute to our understanding of astronomy?) Johannes Kepler (The Three Laws of Planetary Motion - be prepared to apply the knowledge, don't just memorize the words!) Galileo (what was his contribution?) How were Galileo's observations used to support the heliocentric model? Isaac Newton: Newton's 3 Laws of motion (what are they?

Can you use them to describe the world around you?) The Universal Law of Gravitation (understand the concept behind it, don't memorize the equation) What are the rules of falling bodies? Orbital mechanics (how/why do bodies orbit?) SAMPLE ESSAY QUESTIONS The following is a list of examples of the types of essay questions that will be asked on the exam: 1. Discuss how the appearance of the sky differs for observers at different latitudes on earth. 2. What are the approximate dates of sunrise and sunset at the South Pole? Describe the appearance and movement of the Sun from the South Pole on the first day of each season in a year. 3. Explain how epicyclic motion works. How does this model match the movement of celestial bodies as seen in the sky? 4. Describe Galileo's major telescopic discoveries and discuss the significance of each one to the heliocentric model. 5. What is the relationship between Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion and the Laws of Motion deduced by Newton? Explain. 6. Describe the contributions to astronomy made by a) Copernicus; b) Tycho Brahe; c) Kepler. How were the contributions similar? How were the contributions different?

7. Using Newton's Laws, explain why the Moon does not fall down to the surface of the Earth, or why the planets do not fall into the Sun. ONE OF THESE QUESTIONS IS GUARANTEED TO BE ON THE EXAM! WHAT SHOULD YOU CONCENTRATE YOUR EFFORT ON? The emphasis of this class is to teach you the nature of the universe around you. My expectations of you are that you understand the concepts that are discussed in class rather than memorizing unrelated facts and numbers. The role of the exam is to give you a chance to demonstrate your comprehension of the concepts by applying your knowledge, rather than simply restating memorized facts or definitions. To do well on the exam you should: Understand ratios. I will not ask you to perform the math related to any particular equation but I will expect that you understand the relationships between the physical values in the important equations. For example, how is gravity affected by the changes in either mass or distance? How does a change in one value affect another? etc.... Understand the definitions of the terminology that is used in the lectures. If you cannot understand the terminology, you cannot be expected to understand the basic concepts. Relate the various concepts to one another.

For example, how do Galileo's observations of the phases of Venus help prove the heliocentric model? See the BIG PICTURE. If you feel that we have been spending much of our time going over seemingly unrelated ideas, then you are missing the BIG PICTURE. Sit down and put the topics into perspective - get a feel for how the concepts are related. Concentrate your studies on the lecture notes. The textbook should also be read to help enhance your understanding of the lecture material. Avoid reading more than one unit of the textbook at a time. A good approach is to read a couple of units of the text each day while reviewing the class lecture notes simultaneously. Use the "Test Yourself" questions at the end of each unit in the book to test whether or not you have a good understanding of the basic concepts. Don't try and study all of the material in one study session. Spread it out over several days (of course this means that you should begin to study several days in advance). Cramming before the exam will do little or no good since the questions will not be ones where you can memorize the answers. Don't spend your valuable time doing the following: Simply memorizing equations.

I am concerned that you understand the conceptual meaning of any given equation, not whether you can memorize it and restate it on an exam. Only memorizing definitions or numbers. This act, by itself will not help you. I will not ask questions that require you to demonstrate whether or not you can simply state the meaning of a term or a memorized number. However, I do want you to know what certain terms mean so that you can use them to describe an idea in an essay answer. YOU WILL NEED TO BRING WITH YOU: SCANTRON form 882-ES Star Designations / OPTcorp.com | OPT Telescopes Star Designations This entry was posted on September 29, 2008 by The Team at OPT. Designations of stars (and other celestial bodies) are done by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). Many of the star names in use today were inherited from the time before the IAU existed. Other names, mainly for variable stars (including novae and supernovae), are being added all the time. Most stars, however, have no name and are referred to, if at all, by means of catalogue numbers.

This article briefly surveys some of the methods used to designate stars. Most bright naked eye stars have traditional names, most of which derive from Arabic, but a few from Latin. See List of traditional star names for a list of some of these names. There are a number of problems with these names however: Spellings are often not standardized (Almach or Almaach or Almak or Alamak) Many stars have more than one name of roughly equal popularity (Mirfak or Algenib or Alcheb; Regor or Suhail al Muhlif; Alkaid or Benetnasch; Gemma or Alphecca; Alpheratz and Sirrah) Because of imprecision in old star catalogs, it may not be clear exactly which star within a constellation a particular name corresponds to (eg, Alniyat, Chara). Some stars in entirely different constellations may have the same name: Algenib in Perseus and Algenib in Pegasus; Gienah in Cygnus and Gienah in Corvus, Alnair in Grus and Alnair in Centaurus.

In practice, the traditional names are only universally used for the very brightest stars (Sirius, Arcturus, Vega, etc) and for a small number of slightly less bright but "interesting" stars (Algol, Polaris, Mira, etc). For other naked eye stars, the Bayer designation is often preferred. In addition to the traditional names, a small number of stars that are "interesting" can have modern English names. For instance Barnard's star has the highest known proper motion of any star and is thus notable even though it is far too faint to be seen with the naked eye. See stars named after people. Two second-magnitude stars, Alpha Pavonis and Epsilon Carinae, were assigned the proper names Peacock and Avior respectively in 1937 by Her Majesty's Nautical Almanac Office during the creation of The Air Almanac, a navigational almanac for the Royal Air Force. Of the fifty-seven stars included in the new almanac, these two had no classical names. The RAF insisted that all of the stars must have names, so new names were invented for them.

The book Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning by R.H.Allen (ISBN 0-486-21079-0) has had effects on star names:- It lists many Assyrian/Babylonian and Sumerian star names recovered by archaeology, and some of these (e.g. Sargas and Nunki) have come into general use. It lists many Chinese star names, and some of these (e.g. Cih alias Tsih) have come into general usage. R.H.Allen represented the "kh" sound by `h' with a dot above, and at least one astronomy book (a book by Patrick Moore) using R.H.Allen as a source, has misread this unfamiliar letter as `li'. Johann Bayer introduced a system of designating the brightest stars in each constellation by means of Greek (or less often Latin) letters, a system which is still widely used. See Bayer designation for details. John Flamsteed 's numbering of stars within constellations have also remained popular, although Bayer's Greek letters are usually preferred when there is a choice. See Flamsteed designation for details. Hevelius numbered stars within constellations similarly.

His number system has fallen out of use, but Hevelius designations even now are occasionally mistakenly treated as Flamsteed designations. Variable stars which do not have Bayer designations are given special designations which mark them out as variable stars. In the absence of any better means of designating a star, catalogue numbers are generally used. A great many different star catalogues are used for this purpose, see star catalogues . There are companies that purport to name obscure stars after paying customers, but these names are recognized by nobody except the registering company and the customer. In particular, these names are neither used nor recognised by astronomers. There is nothing to stop two companies from claiming the same star, or even one company from registering the same star to two customers. Many astronomers view these organizations as frauds preying on people ignorant of star naming procedure. A very few stars are named for individuals; this is rare and many cases were unofficial names that became official. This entry was posted in Uncategorized on September 29, 2008 by The Team at OPT.

← Previous Post Next Post → Leave a Reply DMOZ - Science: Astronomy: Stars DMOZ Science Astronomy Stars 78 Stars are self-luminous gaseous spheroidal celestial bodies of great mass which produce energy by means of nuclear fusion. Listed sites may include sky maps and constellations, types of stars including giants and dwarfs, and related subjects such as pulsars and quasars. Subcategories 12 Images of Constellations, Stars - Specialty Stock Videos, Photos & Illustrations | Stocktrek Images Taurus A constellation is a group of stars visible within a particular region of the night sky. The word constellation also refers to the region in which a specific group of stars appears. Astronomers have divided the sky into 88 areas, or constellations, with exact boundaries, so that every direction or place in the sky belongs within one constellation. Stream of ancient stars. The ancient Greeks, Romans, and people of various other early civilizations observed groups of stars in the northern two-thirds of the sky. They named these groups of stars after animals and mythological characters. For example, the constellation Leo was named for a lion, Pisces for two fish, and Taurus for a bull.

The constellations Andromeda , Cassiopeia, Orion, and Perseus are named for heroines and heroes in Greek mythology. Some well-known groups of stars form only part of a constellation. Such smaller groups are called asterisms , which is a group of celestial bodies (usually stars) that appear to form a pattern in the sky or appear visibly related to each other, but are not related to the known constellations,. For example, the Big Dipper is an asterism that lies in the constellation Ursa Major (Great Bear). Constellation Orion Some constellations can be seen only during certain seasons due to the earth's annual revolution around the sun. The part of the sky visible at night at a particular place gradually changes as the earth moves around the sun. Also, observers at different latitudes see different parts of the sky. An observer at the equator can view all the constellations during the course of a year, but an observer at the North or the South Pole can see only a single hemisphere of constellations. All modern constellation names are Latin proper names or words, and some stars are named using the genitive, or sometimes the ablative of the constellation in which they are found.

These are formed by using the usual rules of Latin grammar. Some examples include: Aries → Arietis; Taurus → Tauri; Gemini → Geminorum; Virgo → Virginis; Libra → Librae; Pisces → Piscium; Lepus → Leporis. In addition, all constellation names have a standard three-letter abbreviation assigned by the International Astronomical Union; for example, Aries becomes Ari, Pisces becomes Psc, Sagittarius becomes Sgr and Ursa Major becomes UMa. Identification of stars within a given constellation includes use of Bayer designations such as Alpha Centauri, Flamsteed designations such as 61 Cygni, and variable star designations such as RR Lyrae. However, many fainter stars will just be given a catalog number designation (in each of various star catalogs) that does not incorporate the constellation name. Frequently, the abbreviated form of the constellation name is used in the star designation, e.g., Alpha Cen, 61 Cyg, RR Lyr. Name the Exoworlds - Sky & Telescope Sky & Telescope Download Your Free Astrophotography Primer Now from Sky & Telescope!

* By: Sze-Leung Cheung | May 1, 2015 Here's your chance to name an exoplanet, in a process recognized and officiated by the International Astronomical Union. Register your astronomy club or organization by June 1st! Artist's illustration of a hot Jupiter closely orbiting its host star. C. Carreau / ESA Astronomers have discovered thousands of exoplanets, but their names, such as HD104985 b, are often in an unfriendly telephone number format. Others, such as 51 Pegasi b, are slightly better, but still not appealing to the general public, nor enticing to the imagination. For millennia, every civilization across the globe has given names to stars. In ancient days, only those stars that could be seen by the naked eye were named, but after the invention of telescope, the number of known stars increased exponentially. Astronomers developed schemes to catalog them and provide a scientific destination. Take 55 Cancri, the 55th star in the constellation Cancer (the Crab), ordered from west to east using the Flamsteed designation.

Using the simpler Bayer designation gives another star the name Epsilon Eridani, because it’s the 5th brightest star (and epsilon is the 5th letter in the Greek alphabet) in the constellation Eridanus (the River). The International Astronomical Union (IAU) was founded in 1919, and since then has served as the internationally recognized authority for assigning names to celestial bodies such as planets, comets, asteroids. For a long time, those decisions rested on the objects’ discoverers and on the IAU nomenclature committees. Historically, IAU has not dealt with common names, only with official designations. But now, in response to the public’s increased interest in being part of astronomical discoveries, the IAU is organizing a worldwide contest: “NameExoWorlds” will give popular names to 20 exoplanet systems, including 32 exoplanets along with their host stars.

Here are the 20 systems up for naming: Host Star (catalog name) 1 star + 1 exoplanet (10 systems) 14 Andromedae 1 star + 2 exoplanets (1 system) 47 Ursae Majoris 1 star + 3 exoplanets (2 systems) PSR 1257+12 1 star + 4 exoplanets (1 system) mu Arae 1 star + 5 exoplanets (1 system) 55 Cancri Cancer 6 Registered organizations voted for these 20 systems during an earlier stage of the IAU contest. They are a diverse set of systems, many of them significant in the history of exoplanet research. The list includes the first exoplanet ever discovered, orbiting the pulsar PSR 1257+12, the first exoplanet discovered around a normal star, 51 Pegasi b, and the five-exoplanet system 55 Cancri . An artist's illustration of the controversial exoplanet Fomalhaut b. The planet might be sweeping out the edge of a massive ring of dust around the young star.

ESA / NASA / L. Calcada Other systems tell fascinating stories: the planets of Upsilon Andromedae orbit on different planes, suggesting a possible past encounter with a rogue planet later ejected from the system. Another planet, Fomalhaut b , was imaged at visible wavelengths (a difficult feat) orbiting at the edge of the star’s dusty debris disk. To submit names, you’ll have to go through an organization registered on the IAU Directory of World Astronomy website . Each registered organization can submit one naming proposal. To qualify, organizations must be non-profit and have organized one astronomy-related activity, a broad definition that enables schools to register too. If your local astronomy club or other organization is interested in registering, the deadline isn’t over yet. Organizations can register with the IAU until June 1st. This is a golden opportunity to educate the general public on the science of exoplanets as well as the history and culture behind these astronomical discoveries. Name submissions should follow IAU guidelines — for example, you can’t name a planet after your pet or any living person. As part of your submission, you’ll include a description to justify your proposal.

All of the submitted names will be open for a massive public voting to decide on the final names. The key to success rests on proposing names for the planets that can garner worldwide support. The deadline for organizations to register with IAU for name submissions is 8 p.m. (EDT) on June 1st. Names themselves can be submitted until 8 p.m. (EDT) on June 15th. Check out the Name Exoworlds website for more details. Sze-leung Cheung is the IAU International Outreach Coordiantor and heads the IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach, a global office for coordinating worldwide astronomy outreach activities. He was one of the key people behind the NameExoWorlds campaign. CATEGORIES One thought on “Name the Exoworlds” Boom2DaStars Renaissance Astronomy & Resources Mapping the Heavens Out of This World: The Golden Age of the Celestial Atlas Exhibit at the Linda Hall Library of Science, Engineering, & Technology With the telescope, seventeenth-century astronomers could observe the night sky as never before.

Some made detailed studies of passing comets and the planets, Sun, and Moon, including German Jesuit Christoph Scheiner, who observed sunspots for over 20 years, and Polish brewer Johannes Hevelius, who produced the first accurate, highly-detailed map of the Moon. German lawyer Johann Bayer published a highly-detailed atlas of the constellations, as did other astronomers, including Hevelius. At his home in Danzig, Hevelius built a large observatory on the rooftop of three adjoining properties, where he devoted decades to compiling a catalogue of star positions. As European explorers sailed into the Southern Hemisphere, they created new constellations which were added to these celestial maps. The first to systematically observe the southern stars was Edmund Halley (for whom Halleyï¿½s Comet is named). In 1676, at the age of 20, Halley traveled to the island of St. Helena off the African coast with a telescope and other instruments, producing a catalogue of nearly 350 stars. He published his charts and observations in 1679.

Other important astronomical findings of the latter half of the seventeenth century include the discovery of Saturnï¿½s ring system by Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens, and the discovery of the Saturnï¿½s first four moons by Italian-French astronomer Giovanni Cassini. Selected resources at L. Tom Perry Special Collections Johannes Hevelius. Catalogus stellarum fixarum (Fixed star catalog). 1660-1681. One of BYUï¿½s most important astronomy holdings is the manuscript of Heveliusï¿½ star catalog, which he compiled between the years 1660 and 1681. It consists of handwritten tables of Heveliusï¿½ systematic measurements of celestial bodies, with a comparison to the measurements of other astronomers, including Tycho and Ptolemy. The star catalog was not published until nearly two centuries after Heveliusï¿½ death. Call number: Vault Collection 091 H489 Johannes Hevelius. Selenographia (A Description of the Moon). Danzig: Hï¿½nefeld, 1647.

Heveliusï¿½ description of lunar topography includes three engravings which are considered the first true maps of the Moon. Hevelius engraved the plates himself, and employed his own printer to issue his work. Call number: Vault Collection Quarto 559.91 H489s 1647 Johannes Hevelius. Firmamentum Sobiescianum: sive, Uranometria (Sobieski's Firmament) Danzig: J.Z. Stallis, 1690. This celestial atlas contains large-format engravings of the constellations. The maps of the northern stars are based on Heveliusï¿½ own measurements and the maps of the southern stars were based on Edmund Halleyï¿½s measurements. Firmamentum Sobiescianum is dedicated to the Polish king, Jan III Sobieski, who commanded the army which successfully defended Vienna against an Ottoman siege in 1683. Call number: Vault Collection Quarto 523.8908 H489p 1690 Christoph Scheiner. Rosa Ursina.

Bracciano: Andrea Phaeus, 1626-1630. Rosa Ursina is the culmination of Scheinerï¿½s decades-long study of sunspots, and contains many large engravings illustrating his observations and the instruments and methods which he employed. Call number: Vault Collection Quarto 523.7 Sc25 1630 Selected online resources Johann Beyer, Uranometria (1603) at the Linda Hall Library of Science, Engineering & Technology Digitized copy of the first celestial atlas to cover the visible heavens in their entirety, including the skies of the southern hemisphere. Bayer used Greek letters to designate the stars in each constellation, a method known as the Bayer designation which is still used by astronomers today.

Question: Bayer Designations relate to which celestial bodies?
Answer: Stars