Phase I: Naming Process

The IAU encourages participating groups to establish collaborations and create teams composed of some combination of teachers and students, astronomy enthusiasts, amateur astronomers and professional astronomers and together brainstorm on names for one of the exoworlds (exoplanet + host star) available for naming. 

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In order to realize IAU’s mission of bringing the community together, each team must host a public outreach event with their community  (e.g. the public outreach event can be a public talk by a scientist on exoplanets discoveries, or any other events that communicates astronomy to the public). Teams will be able to propose names for one exoworld (exoplanet+host star), based on the existing naming rules, with a detailed supporting argument for their choice.

 

Submissions should be delivered:

1. in written format (English) (A maximum of 300 words); and

2. in video format in the native/official language(s) of your country (maximum of 3 min., resolution 360p or higher, with English subtitles). 

3. Together with a report on your public outreach initiative. (A maximum of 300 words, including the team members and the public outreach event and any photos/videos depicting the event).

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Each team is allowed to submit one proposal to name an exoworld (exoplanet+host star).

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You can submit your naming proposal by using this form.

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Deadline for submission: 11 December 2022

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Phase 2: National Vetting Process

Only one proposal plus two backup proposals per country or territory will be accepted into consideration for the NameExoWorlds 2022. If there is more than one submission from each representing country, the National Outreach Coordinator (NOC) is responsible for selecting the country’s proposal at a national level. 

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The NOCs must involve other national IAU representatives (e.g., ROADs, LOADs and NAECs) and representatives from the national astronomy community such as planetarium representatives, scientific institutions, and science centres in the national selection panel. 

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NOTE: If there is no NOC, the OAO will identify a representative committee for the country or region. Or accept proposals from an applying country or territory. 

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Phase 3: Voting and Selection of the Names

The discoverers, together with the Executive Committee Working Group, will select the final name of the exoworlds, and if the naming rules are followed, the names will be recognized as the official names of the exoworlds.

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During Phase Three, the discoverers (typically the first author of the discovery paper or a delegate) were asked to provide input on the entries for a given system provided by the National Panels. The Executive Committee Working Group on Exoplanetary System Nomenclature reviewed the proposed names and input, conducted a final check to see that the campaign's naming rules were followed, and selected the final IAU names for the system and its naming theme. The selection of names was based mainly on the cultural and historical significance of names, and the strength and consistency of the naming theme and its ability to provide additional names in the future should more objects be discovered in the exosystem. The persuasiveness of the proposal presentation, the impact of the outreach event, and the size and diversity of the proposal team - were also considered.