4.6: Naming Astronomical Objects

Science and Society - Naming Astronomical Objects

As you've made your way through the past several chapters of this text, have you ever wondered how all of the names in Astronomy came up? Or, what the process is like for naming new astronomical objects? As it turns out, there are multiple answers to this seemingly simple question. This section will explore two different perspectives on naming astronomical objects, and the possible utility of each. 

IAU Naming Conventions

Starting with the most widely recognized astronomical-naming entity, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) is responsible for creating and maintaining globally recognized names of astronomical objects and surface features. In addition to naming objects, the IAU also has other responsibilities, such as defining astronomical and physical constants, naming surface features, archiving previous names and conventions, along with numerous other related tasks.

Originally formed in 1919, the IAU states their mission as an organization to, "promote and safeguard the science of astronomy in all its aspects, including research, communication, education and development, through international cooperation". For example, this agency also was the first to propose the 88 official constellation boundaries in 1922. In 1982, the IAU was recognized by the United Nations (UN) in its authority of naming conventions as it relates to those countries within the UN. In terms of naming astronomical objects, they have several information pages dedicated to the process, depending on the type of object in question. 

Their most general page on Naming of Astronomical Objects (attributed below) lists general processes for Solar System objects, and links other pages that lay out how extra solar objects are named. According to the IAU, the exact spelling and pronunciation of astronomical objects is generally the responsibility of individual nations or groups of nations. However, they do recommend that the English spelling of names should follow the IAU Style Manual, especially for capitalization of astronomical objects (e.g., Earth, Sun, Moon, etc.). 

In addition to naming, the IAU is also responsible for defining a planet or dwarf planet (as in the case of Pluto). We discussed the IAU's definition earlier in the chapter, which they also have a process for naming each object type as well. According to the IAU's page, 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. Major objects, such as the planets and the Moon have maintained common names since long before the formation of the IAU, though were given official designations in 1976. 

Modern technology has made it possible to discover natural satellites (or moons) 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).

We encourage you to look over the IAU's page on naming objects to learn more about their process and current efforts to include a wider range of cultures and mythologies in these naming conventions. 

A Hua He Inoa and 'Oumuamua

As discussed above, the IAU has a detailed set of procedures and working groups that name or designate various types of astronomical objects. In reality, most newly discovered objects only receive a designation, unless the object gains particular attention. By designation, we mean an alphanumerical set of characters that is sometimes connected with the telescope or survey that collected the data (e.g. HD 172167, or Kepler-22b). These designations are most commonly found in the official catalogues used by professional astronomers.

If a particular object does gain enough attention, there are a wide range of ways the actual name can come about, not always governed by the IAU itself. One example is the A Hua He Inoa collaborative program, hosted by the 'Imiloa organization at the University of Hawai'i at Hilo. The internship program for Hawaiian speaking students has produced several new and some officially recognized names of astronomical objects, all in the Hawaiian language. Working as a collaboration between students, cultural leaders, and astronomy professionals, the program has named several objects that gained worldwide attention in previous years.

The most famous among them is 'Oumuamua, the first interstellar object ever observed to enter our solar system. Pictured as an artist's rendering below, 'Oumuamua was discovered in 2017 by the Pan-STARRS 1 telescope on Mauna Kea, and was first assigned the designation 1I/2017 U1. However, the object quickly gained attention among the general public for its unique shape and being the first object we've ever discovered to come from outside the Solar System, thus creating a need for an official name.

Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\):  Interstellar Visitor. In this artist's depiction, 'Oumuamua, the first object from outside the Solar System, has a long, cylindrical shape and dark color based on the observations made as it passed by in 2017. (CC BY 4.0; Original ESO/M. Kornmesser (+ background position from original change by Nagualdesign) via Wikimedia Commons).

A Hua He Inoa (Hawaiian for “calling forth a name”) is a cultural program that honors Indigenous Hawaiian traditions in naming celestial objects. It was created to integrate Hawaiian language and worldview into modern astronomy. Cultural Roots Hawaiians have . The initiative began in 2017, led by John De Fries and Doug Simons with guidance from the Kahu Kū Mauna advisory group. 

For many, these names reflect Indigenous perspectives and knowledge systems, which are heavily rooted in a rich star-naming heritage dating back to Polynesian wayfinders, who named stars and celestial phenomena for navigation and cultural significance. In addition to ʻOumuamua, the program has also named Pōwehi, the well-known first image of a black hole published in 2019. A Hua He Inoa demonstrates how science and Indigenous culture can work together, adding depth and diversity to our understanding of the universe.

Unofficial Names and "Purchasing" of Celestial Objects

As we have discussed in this section, names of celestial objects have a certain timelessness and power to them.

If you could, would you be interested in having a star or other celestial object? It is understandable why a person may be interested to have their own name "written in the stars", as it were. As a testament to this fact, there are a host of websites and commercial businesses that claim the ability to buy naming rights for certain celestial objects, in which a person can pay a small fee to have a star named after them or a loved one. However, to be clear, the IAU does not associate itself or approve of any such practices.

Their website has an entire page devoted to debunking any such promotion of purchasing star names. They say, "As an international scientific organisation, the IAU dissociates itself entirely from the commercial practice of "selling" fictitious star names, surface feature names, or real estate on other planets or moons in the Solar System...Like many of the best things in life, the beauty of the night sky is not for sale — it is free for all to enjoy". This policy aligns with similar topics, such as our discussion in Ethics of Building Telescopes and the question of who, if anyone, can own anything in outer space. It also aligns with The Outer Space Treaty which states that "outer space is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty." We ask you to consider your own stance on this idea, as humanity continues to chart and explore the universe.

 

Attributions

https://iauarchive.eso.org/public/themes/naming/ 

References

United Nations Statistics Division. (1983). Report of the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names (4th UNCSGN). Retrieved December 10, 2025, from https://unstats.un.org/unsd/geoinfo/...sgn-rpt-en.pdf  

International Astronomical Union. (n.d.). The Constellations. Retrieved December 10, 2025, from https://www.iau.org/IAU/Iau/Science/...ellations.aspx