Name a Planet: 20 Exoworlds Up for Naming Proposals

Ever wanted to name a planet? Now you may have your chance. A total of 20 of the most popular exoworlds have been made available for naming proposals from registered clubs and non-profit organizations.

Celestial objects have been named for millennia, but the IAU usually has the task of assigning scientifically recognized names to newly discovered celestial bodies by its member countries. Now, though, the public has the opportunity to name 20 worlds for themselves.

The list of the 20 exoworlds includes single-planet and multiple-planet systems. Each organization can submit one naming proposal for one system only. The number of names that need to be submitted depends on which system is selected. For single- and multiple-planet systems, a name for each planet needs to be submitted, as well as one for the host star. In the list, five stars already have common names. This means that the five stars cannot be considered for public naming.

In order to participate in this competition, clubs and non-profit organizations first need to register with the IAU Directory of World Astronomy by 1 June 2015. Then the naming proposals need to be submitted online. All naming submissions have to abide by the IAU Exoplanet naming conventions and need to be supported with a detailed argument for their choice.

The results of the competitions should be announced during the IAU XXIX General Assembly in Honolulu between the 3 and 14 of August in 2015.

Want to try to name these exoplanets? You can find a link to the competition here.

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