Yet the Public Naming of Planets and Planetary Satellites Working Group has come through. About a year ago, it determined that exoplanet names should follow the rules that govern the naming of minor planets in the Solar System. And it suggested that any group that wanted to run a non-commercial naming campaign (meaning, you can’t charge to name a planet) should get in touch. A year later, the IAU is announcing its first naming campaign, run in collaboration with the citizen science site Zooniverse.
Before you get excited about naming HAT-P-7b after your first pet goldfish, it’s worth taking a look at the restrictions the IAU places on its minor planet names. The 16 characters or less must be “pronounceable (in as many languages as possible)” and non-offensive in any language or culture. The names of living persons are verboten, pet names are “discouraged,” and you can’t use a name that is commercial or has political, military, or religious connotations.
via Ars Technica
Image: NASA
