The Importance of Names in Astronomy

Figure from Dr. Grier's Medium article. NASA Photojournal.

Astronomy and Planetary Science are fields with numerous opportunities for naming objects. From the many stars in the sky to the rocks on the surface of Mars, scientists have made many choices about what to call the objects they study. Several recent articles have highlighted the importance of using names that are inclusive and make connections to various cultures.

As Dr. J. A. Grier wrote in her recent Medium article, The Crisis of Naming the Universe: "There are too many awesome names that we can choose from for us to spend one single moment considering a name that hurts anybody at all.  In fact, we can do better than ‘not hurt’ people — we can encourage, lift up, and empower them with our choice of names."

The efforts of many experts who have chosen diverse names have been highlighted in recent articles:

The theme of inclusive naming was also mentioned in Nature's article on the naming of interstellar asteroid 'Oumuamua (Hawaiian-language experts make their mark on the Solar System).

The IAU recently recognized the Australian Aboriginal names of four stars in the night sky (The stories behind Aboriginal star names now recognized by the world's astronomical body).

The Symmetry Magazine article, Rivers in the Sky, discusses the naming of some Milky Way star streams after native words relating to water or rivers in Chile and Australia.