IAU Working Group
Star Names
WGSN is a Working Group
of the IAU Division C: Education, Outreach and Heritage
There are colloquial and cultural star names that are used in public presentations, in local traditions, in planetarium shows and museums…
There are also star names that are officially agreed upon to be used in astrophysics research papers. These need to be simple and not too long (16 characters in English max.). They are enlisted in a catalogue by the International Astronomical Union. Like all IAU-standards, this standard is made for use in global research communication in English. The IAU-Catalog of Star Names (CSN) does not claim to substitute local traditions!
As it was necessary to define constellation boundaries in the 1920s, the 2020s are dedicated to collect star names from all over the world. For this purpose, we launched the new project of an All Skies Encyclopaedia (ASE) to recognize all star names and constellations names from all over the world – no matter if they can be included in the IAU-CSN.
Catalog of Star Names
We understand our work on historical and indigenous star names as a service for humankind. Most of our work is volunteer passion. If you know more names or have objections, please feel free to approach us or even join our group (as a full or associate member).