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IAU Working Group on Star Names

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The main aim for the next few years is to delve into worldwide astronomical history and culture, looking to determine the best-known stellar appellations to use as the officially recognised names. Beyond this point, once the names of many of the bright stars in the sky have been officially approved
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Further batches of names were approved on 21 August, 12 September, 5 October and 6 November 2016. These were listed in a table of 102 stars included in the WGSN's second bulletin in November 2016. The next additions were done on 1 February 2017 (13 new star
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specifically refers to the bright A component of a 3 star system. The informal names often attributed to other components in a physical multiple (e.g., Fomalhaut B) are treated as unofficial (albeit described as "useful nicknames"), and not included in the
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While initially the WGSN would focus on incorporating 'past' names from history and culture, in the future it would be responsible for defining the rules and enabling the process by which new names can be proposed by members of the international astronomical community.
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The WGSN's first bulletin dated July 2016 included a table of 125 stars comprising the first two batches of names approved by the WGSN (on 30 June and 20 July 2016) together with names of stars (including four traditional star names:
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The WGSN explicitly recognized the names of exoplanets and their host stars approved by the Executive Committee Working Group Public Naming of Planets and Planetary Satellites, including the names of stars adopted during the 2015 NameExoWorlds campaign.
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and catalogued, the WGSN will turn its focus towards establishing a format and template for the rules, criteria and process by which proposals for stellar names can be accepted from professional astronomers, as well as from the general public.
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The terms of reference for the WGSN for the period 2016–2018 were approved by the IAU Executive Committee at its meeting on 6 May 2016. In summary, these are to:
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names), 30 June 2017 (29), 5 September 2017 (41), 19 November 2017 (3) and 6 June 2018 (17). All 330 names are included in the current
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with published names, and on compiling cultural names, with names for faint stars to be discussed in the future (it regarded 'bright stars' as those with
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Names of events principally known for political or military activities; of a principally commercial nature; of pet animals and acronyms are prohibited.
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The first list includes two stars given names of individuals during the NameExoWorlds process: "Cervantes" for the star
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for the international astronomical community. It operates under Division C – Education, Outreach and Heritage.
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Names should not be too similar to an existing name of a star, planet, planetary satellite, or minor planet.
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The WGSN decided to focus during the rest of 2016 on standardizing common names and spellings for the
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Names preserving world heritage are strongly encouraged; common and cultural names preferred over new.
624:(reprint ed.). reprint: Dover Books / original: G.E. Stecher – via penelope.uchicago.edu. 310: 456: 380: 355: 317:, his physician. The 1 February 2017 update included the approval of the historical name for 67:
is solely alphanumerical, and used almost exclusively in official catalogues and for professional
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General guidelines for Chinese star names were adopted during 2017. In summary, these are:
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Names should normally be 4–16 characters in length; short names preferred over long.
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Names of individuals are prohibited for bright stars (except for rare historical cases).
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refers to the (usually colloquial) term used for a star in everyday conversation, while
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The WGSN adopted preliminary guidelines for unique star names. In summary, these are:
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The WGSN decided to attribute proper names to individual stars rather than entire
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establish IAU guidelines for the proposal and adoption of names for stars,
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names for individual stars should be avoided as it would cause confusion,
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The IAU states that it is keen to make a distinction between the terms
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Names should be pronounceable in some language and be non-offensive.
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adopt new unique names for stars of scientific and historical value,
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Contrived names are discouraged (except for rare historical cases).
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The Chinese Sky During the Han: Constellating Stars and Society
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IAU group to catalog and standardize proper names for stars
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assemble and disseminate an official IAU star name catalog.
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carry out a search of the literature for candidate names,
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and any physical companions; 'faint stars' as any other
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The WGSN approved the historical name 42:) in May 2016 to catalog and standardize 583: 508:"IAU Working Group on Star Names (WGSN)" 547: 545: 478: 476: 474: 472: 444: 14: 747: 415: 394: 321:, named after the American astronomer 614: 302:for 'heart of Charles') for the star 85: 542: 469: 270:, last updated on 1 June 2018. 113: 676: 659: 621:Star Names – Their lore and meaning 373: 24: 687: 204: 25: 776: 381:"Division C – WG Star Names" 282:Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra 148: 732: 720: 708: 284:) and "Copernicus" for the star 240: 175: 32:International Astronomical Union 670: 653: 608: 593:. NameExoWorlds. Archived from 336:Astronomical naming conventions 268:List of IAU-approved Star Names 164:List of IAU-approved Star Names 569: 361:Stellar designations and names 341:List of astronomical societies 169:Washington Double Star Catalog 13: 1: 628:Star-Names and Their Meanings 367: 346:List of proper names of stars 664:Burnham's Celestial Handbook 7: 666:. Vol. 1. p. 359. 328: 211:brightest few hundred stars 36:Working Group on Star Names 18:Working Group on Star Names 10: 781: 635:A brief on-line biography: 760:Astronomical nomenclature 311:King Charles I of England 290:(honoring the astronomer 647:modernconstellations.com 626:Originally published as 356:Stars named after people 309:, so named in honour of 157:. For example, the name 755:Astronomy organizations 307: Canum Venaticorum 71:. (The WGSN notes that 200:spelling is preferred. 44:proper names for stars 280:(honoring the writer 219:Bright Star Catalogue 640:R.H. Allen biography 591:"The approved names" 190:adopting of Chinese 34:(IAU) established a 688:Warner, Deborah J. 661:Burnham, Robert Jr. 315:Charles Scarborough 292:Nicolaus Copernicus 227:substellar objects 86:Terms of reference 76:Bayer designations 323:E.E. Barnard 114:Naming guidelines 16:(Redirected from 772: 737: 736: 725: 724: 723: 713: 712: 711: 704: 694: 693: 682: 679:"Canes Venatici" 674: 668: 667: 657: 651: 650: 644: 632: 612: 606: 605: 603: 602: 587: 581: 580: 573: 567: 566: 564: 562: 557: 549: 540: 539: 537: 535: 525: 519: 518: 516: 514: 504: 498: 497: 495: 493: 488: 480: 467: 466: 464: 463: 453: 442: 441: 439: 437: 426: 413: 412: 410: 408: 398: 392: 391: 389: 387: 377: 306: 288: 277: 231:stellar remnants 155:multiple systems 21: 780: 779: 775: 774: 773: 771: 770: 769: 745: 744: 743: 731: 721: 719: 709: 707: 699: 697: 683: 675: 671: 658: 654: 642: 638: 613: 609: 600: 598: 589: 588: 584: 575: 574: 570: 560: 558: 555: 551: 550: 543: 533: 531: 529:"NameExoWorlds" 527: 526: 522: 512: 510: 506: 505: 501: 491: 489: 486: 482: 481: 470: 461: 459: 455: 454: 445: 435: 433: 428: 427: 416: 406: 404: 400: 399: 395: 385: 383: 379: 378: 374: 370: 365: 331: 304: 286: 275: 243: 207: 205:Program of work 178: 151: 116: 104: 88: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 778: 768: 767: 762: 757: 742: 741: 729: 717: 696: 695: 677:Ridpath, Ian. 669: 652: 637: 636: 607: 582: 568: 541: 520: 499: 468: 443: 430:"Naming Stars" 414: 393: 371: 369: 366: 364: 363: 358: 353: 348: 343: 338: 332: 330: 327: 319:Barnard's Star 242: 239: 206: 203: 202: 201: 195: 188: 177: 174: 150: 149:Multiple stars 147: 142: 141: 138: 135: 132: 129: 126: 123: 115: 112: 107: 106: 101: 98: 95: 87: 84: 73:transliterated 59:. To the IAU, 26: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 777: 766: 763: 761: 758: 756: 753: 752: 750: 740: 735: 730: 728: 718: 716: 706: 705: 702: 691: 686: 681:. Star Tales. 680: 673: 665: 662: 656: 648: 641: 634: 633: 631: 629: 623: 622: 617: 611: 597:on 2018-02-01 596: 592: 586: 578: 572: 554: 548: 546: 530: 524: 509: 503: 485: 479: 477: 475: 473: 458: 452: 450: 448: 431: 425: 423: 421: 419: 403: 397: 382: 376: 372: 362: 359: 357: 354: 352: 351:NameExoWorlds 349: 347: 344: 342: 339: 337: 334: 333: 326: 324: 320: 316: 312: 308: 301: 297: 293: 289: 283: 279: 271: 269: 263: 261: 257: 253: 249: 241:Adopted names 238: 234: 232: 228: 224: 220: 216: 212: 199: 196: 193: 189: 186: 183: 182: 181: 176:Chinese names 173: 171: 170: 165: 160: 156: 146: 139: 136: 133: 130: 127: 124: 121: 120: 119: 111: 102: 99: 96: 93: 92: 91: 83: 81: 77: 74: 70: 66: 62: 58: 57: 53: 47: 45: 41: 37: 33: 19: 689: 684: 672: 663: 655: 646: 627: 625: 620: 610: 599:. Retrieved 595:the original 585: 571: 559:. Retrieved 532:. Retrieved 523: 511:. Retrieved 502: 490:. Retrieved 460:. Retrieved 434:. Retrieved 405:. Retrieved 396: 384:. Retrieved 375: 313:by Sir  295: 272: 267: 264: 244: 235: 215:designations 208: 184: 179: 167: 163: 152: 143: 117: 108: 89: 64: 60: 55: 51: 48: 39: 35: 29: 727:Outer Space 616:Allen, R.H. 436:16 December 287:55 Cancri A 65:designation 56:designation 749:Categories 601:2016-08-11 561:12 October 462:2018-07-14 368:References 296:Cor Caroli 278: Arae 715:Astronomy 649:(Report). 618:(1963) . 534:11 August 513:11 August 492:11 August 432:. IAU.org 407:23 August 386:23 August 260:Fomalhaut 159:Fomalhaut 69:astronomy 685:See also 329:See also 223:Galactic 192:asterism 80:Tau Ceti 701:Portals 252:Edasich 225:stars, 217:in the 78:(e.g., 258:, and 229:, and 198:Pinyin 739:Stars 643:(PDF) 556:(PDF) 487:(PDF) 300:Latin 256:Errai 563:2016 536:2016 515:2016 494:2016 438:2017 409:2016 388:2016 61:name 54:and 52:name 40:WGSN 30:The 248:Ain 233:). 751:: 645:. 544:^ 471:^ 446:^ 417:^ 325:. 254:, 250:, 703:: 692:. 630:. 604:. 565:. 538:. 517:. 496:. 465:. 440:. 411:. 390:. 305:α 298:( 276:μ 38:( 20:)

Index

Working Group on Star Names
International Astronomical Union
proper names for stars
name and designation
astronomy
transliterated
Bayer designations
Tau Ceti
multiple systems
Fomalhaut
Washington Double Star Catalog
asterism
Pinyin
brightest few hundred stars
designations
Bright Star Catalogue
Galactic
substellar objects
stellar remnants
Ain
Edasich
Errai
Fomalhaut
μ Arae
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
55 Cancri A
Nicolaus Copernicus
Latin
α Canum Venaticorum
King Charles I of England

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