IAU Selects New Star Names to Reflect Global Astronomical Culture

Published on 12 February 2026

Photo by Phil Botha on Unsplash

The International Astronomical Union, through its Working Group on Star Names (WGSN), has adopted 59 new names into the IAU Catalog of Star Names. These names span the entire celestial sphere, with a deliberate cultural emphasis on Asia, reflecting the strength of the research base in the region. The star names cover a number of cultural geographies and languages, including \Xam (dialect of Khoe/San), Ancient Greek, Arabic, Chinese, Dayak, Dutch, Egyptian, English, French, Greco-Roman, Greek, Sanskrit, Latin, Malayan, Marshallese, Sami, and Sumerian. Astronomy and the night sky hold profound importance across global cultures, a fact highlighted by this diversity.

The IAU has been the arbiter of star names and planetary nomenclature since its inception in 1919, later recognised by the United Nations. This naming process is carried out by its working groups. 

In 2024 and 2025, the IAU WGSN conducted rigorous, case-by-case reviews of proposed cultural star names. This sustained effort in cultural astronomy aimed not only to adopt new names, but also to refine a transparent methodology grounded in the IAU’s principles of respect, inclusivity, and cultural diversity.

Following two years of intensive studies, the WGSN has now published its official guidelines. Further details on methodologies, workflows, and supporting tools - including Stellarium and related web resources - are under development, and expected to be released in 2026.

Dr. Dr. Susanne Hoffmann, Chair of the IAU Working Group on Star Names says:

“The Working Group on Star Names is exceptionally active, and I am deeply proud of its members. Over the past years, leading experts from different disciplines and cultural backgrounds have learned to work together in a truly collaborative spirit. Rather than individuals pursuing parallel efforts within their own scholarly or cultural communities, we now operate like a well-coordinated orchestra: distinct voices, shared standards, and a common goal. This collective approach has significantly strengthened both the scientific quality and the cultural responsibility of our work.”

The working group is also conducting research into Indigenous naming traditions of the southern hemisphere. In several cases, this led to the intentional postponement of naming decisions where additional scholarly work is required.

Images: maps of newly adopted star names based on Gaia DR2 data
Credit: M.Sadegh Faghanpour/IAU WGSN

Links

• IAU Star Names Catalog
• IAU Guidelines on naming

Contact

• Dr. Dr. Susanne M Hoffmann, Chair, IAU Working Group on Star Names
• Ramasamy Venugopal, IAU Press Office

List of the 59 newly adopted star names

*  Known multiple star system where the name is applied to the primary star, except Lang-Exster (α Tuc) where Lang and Exster can be applied to the two (thus far unresolved) components. Similar with “Phyllon Kissnou”, where the original Greek name referred to one visible dot in the sky and we apply the two names “Phyllon” to the main and “Kissinou” to the secondary component of the multiple (no individual numbers given in SIMBAD). 

More Information

The IAU is the international astronomical organisation that brings together about 13,000 distinguished astronomers from around the world. Its mission is to promote and safeguard the science of astronomy in all its aspects, including research, communication, education and development, through international cooperation. The IAU also serves as the internationally recognised authority for assigning designations to celestial bodies and the surface features on them. Founded in 1919, the IAU is the world’s largest professional body for astronomers.