Planet Earth
@iau-wgsn.bsky.social
iau.star.name
International Astronomical Union WGSN

August 2026

IAU-Working Group on Star Names

August 2026

Legend (icons in tables and maps)

  • 💚 … ASE page is ready
  • 💛 some info in ASE – but PLEASE ADD
  • 🚩 … ASE page is rudimentary or doesn’t exist
  • … star already named (in map)

Sagittarius

NameASEStarLanguageMeaning
Kemenu💚rho1 SgrEgyptian(Stars of) Kenmu, 17th decan in Egyptian astral science, heliacal rise in month Peret, represented by a small group of stars around rho1 Sgr (Belmonte & Lull 2023)
Pabilsang💚τ SgrSumerianthe god Pabilsang was depicted as mixed creature (centaur-like with additional scorpion-tail and wings); this constellation was taken over and “simplified” by the Greeks – tau Sgr is mentioned in Normal Star lists
Hery-ib-WiaWia 💚η SgrEgyptianWia, The Boat, is a large constellation in Sco & Sgr; Belmonte & Lull 2023. We suggest to use the name “Heryib Wia”, The Middle of the Boat.
Nandou💚 phi SgrChineseSouthern Dipper, Lunar Mansion
Jian💚ξ2 Sgr Chinese
Alwasl,
al-Waṣl
💛HIP 91014Arabicthe star is only 5.15 mag (V). Yet, we need an ASE page and a decision for one of the spelling variants.
Alqilada(h)/
al-Qilādah
💛ξ2 Sgr ArabicThe Necklace, nice name – better choose d Sgr or upsilon Sgr
Ifakoya💚LokonoAll info in the ASE, but we are waiting for permission by an Elder, who will then also pick an unnamed star. WGSN only needs to decide that we want the name, i.e. it doesn’t conflict with other IAU-names or offend anybody.

Corona Australis?

Probably many southern Indigenous names there? Only the main star is named – so much room for indigenous names

NameASEstarLanguageMeaning
MagurMA2.GUR8
💚
HIP 90037SumerianMA2.GUR8, The Boat/Ship, is a constellation south of Sgr. It’s identification is given between Cap, Mic, CrA and southern Sgr. As certainty can only be achieved for Late Babylonian sources, we picked a star close to the one which represents the Egyptian Boat-constellation. The star is only 5.07 mag.
AlQubba(h)💚β CrAArabic
Qedty💛δ CrAEgyptianTwo Nets

Lacerta

Only the main star named.

no further proposal

NameASEStarLanguageMeaning


Pegasus

In our Suggestion Table (2023) are two proposals by Ian: Euphrates and Tigris for 1 Peg an 9 Peg respectively. Susanne proposes to use these names in Psc, as there are two Mesopotamian asterisms with the same meaning (~2300 years old, at least).

There are three indigenous constellations: Hawaiian, Lokono and Egyptian. Yet, for the Lokono we wait for approval, for Egyptian we (Juan and Susanne) need to do research, for Hawaii ask either Clive or obsolete.

NameASEStarLanguageMeaning

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