‭THE FAULT IN OUR STAR NAMES‬

‭The International Astronomical Union has established a committee to finalize a list of official‬
‭star names. Some companies offer unofficial naming rights for purchase. But the voices of‬
‭certain communities are often left behind.‬

‭ y‬‭accident‬‭of‬‭Earth's‬‭23.5-degree‬‭tilt‬‭and‬‭the‬‭specific‬‭geography‬‭of‬‭our‬‭view‬‭of‬‭space,‬‭amateur‬
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‭astronomers‬ ‭and‬ ‭travellers‬ ‭who‬ ‭find‬ ‭themselves‬ ‭lost‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬ ‭Northern‬ ‭hemisphere‬ ‭have‬ ‭long‬
‭searched‬ ‭for‬ ‭Ursa‬ ‭Major,‬ ‭the‬‭great‬‭bear,‬‭whose‬‭torso‬‭is‬‭formed‬‭by‬‭the‬‭conspicuous‬‭Big‬‭Dipper.‬
‭Amid‬‭the‬‭pandemonium‬‭of‬‭the‬‭night‬‭sky,‬‭the‬‭Dipper‬‭moonlights‬‭as‬‭outer‬‭space's‬‭guide,‬‭revealing‬
‭the‬‭locations‬‭of‬‭more‬‭obscure‬‭stars‬‭and‬‭constellations.‬‭Draw‬‭an‬‭imaginary‬‭line‬‭to‬‭form‬‭the‬‭ladle's‬
‭far‬‭edge‬‭from‬‭bottom‬‭to‬‭top,‬‭and‬‭Polaris,‬‭alpha‬‭Ursae‬‭Minoris,‬‭the‬‭North‬‭Star,‬‭is‬‭the‬‭sixth‬‭length‬
‭of‬‭that‬‭line—a‬‭540-light-year‬‭slip‬‭of‬‭the‬‭finger—away.‬‭Draw‬‭an‬‭imaginary‬‭line‬‭down‬‭the‬‭dipper's‬
‭handle,‬ ‭and‬ ‭you‬ ‭can‬ ‭find‬ ‭the‬ ‭constellation‬ ‭Hercules‬ ‭in‬ ‭one‬ ‭direction‬ ‭and‬ ‭Gemini‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬ ‭other.‬
‭And,‬‭if‬‭you‬‭pull‬‭out‬‭your‬‭binoculars‬‭and‬‭keep‬‭your‬‭sights‬‭trained‬‭near‬‭the‬‭Dipper‬‭itself,‬‭you‬‭can‬
‭find‬ ‭a‬ ‭heavenly‬ ‭body‬ ‭invisible‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭naked‬ ‭eye,‬‭and‬‭yet,‬‭somehow,‬‭close‬‭to‬‭home:‬‭the‬‭official‬
‭star of the state of Delaware.‬

‭ he‬‭Delaware‬‭Diamond,‬‭of‬‭course,‬‭hasn't‬‭always‬‭been‬‭so‬‭named.‬‭In‬‭1999,‬‭the‬‭Delaware‬
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‭Museum‬ ‭of‬ ‭Natural‬ ‭History‬ ‭held‬ ‭a‬ ‭contest‬ ‭to‬ ‭name‬ ‭a‬ ‭star‬ ‭after‬ ‭it‬ ‭purchased‬ ‭the‬‭naming‬‭rights‬
‭from‬‭the‬‭International‬‭Star‬‭Registry,‬‭an‬‭Illinois-based‬‭company‬‭that‬‭had‬‭been‬‭incessantly‬‭offering‬
‭celestial‬‭naming‬‭rights‬‭on‬‭radio‬‭buys‬‭around‬‭Christmas‬‭for‬‭over‬‭two‬‭decades.‬‭A‬‭12-year-old‬‭won‬
‭the‬‭contest,‬‭and,‬‭in‬‭2000,‬‭at‬‭the‬‭behest‬‭of‬‭Delaware's‬‭lieutenant‬‭governor,‬‭perhaps‬‭desperate‬‭for‬
‭an‬ ‭act‬ ‭of‬ ‭bipartisan‬ ‭consensus,‬ ‭the‬ ‭general‬ ‭assembly‬ ‭put‬ ‭a‬ ‭bill‬ ‭forward‬ ‭to‬ ‭recognize‬ ‭it‬ ‭as‬ ‭the‬
‭official star of the state.‬

‭The‬‭bill‬‭passed‬‭unanimously‬‭but‬‭would‬‭come‬‭to‬‭consternate‬‭some‬‭Delawareans.‬‭To‬‭more‬
c‭ rotchety‬ ‭observers,‬ ‭it‬ ‭served‬ ‭as‬ ‭yet‬ ‭another‬ ‭example‬ ‭of‬ ‭Delaware‬ ‭demeaning‬ ‭itself‬ ‭by‬
‭scrambling‬ ‭to‬ ‭valorize‬ ‭minutiae.‬ ‭The‬ ‭state‬ ‭has‬ ‭consistently‬ ‭dispensed‬ ‭official‬ ‭designations‬
‭solicited‬ ‭from‬ ‭school‬ ‭children:‬ ‭It‬ ‭recognizes‬ ‭"The‬ ‭First‬ ‭State"‬ ‭(the‬ ‭suggestion‬ ‭of‬ ‭a‬ ‭first-grade‬
‭class)‬ ‭as‬ ‭an‬ ‭official‬ ‭nickname,‬ ‭and‬ ‭peach‬ ‭pie‬‭(the‬‭suggestion‬‭of‬‭fifth-‬‭and‬‭sixth-graders)‬‭as‬‭the‬
‭official state dessert.‬

‭ o‬‭the‬‭conscientious,‬‭there‬‭was‬‭also‬‭a‬‭larger‬‭problem:‬‭The‬‭International‬‭Star‬‭Registry‬‭and‬
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‭its‬‭star‬‭names‬‭are‬‭not‬‭recognized‬‭by‬‭any‬‭astronomical‬‭body‬‭as‬‭legitimate.‬‭No‬‭astronaut‬‭will‬‭ever‬
‭refer‬‭to‬‭a‬‭galactic‬‭event‬‭near‬‭the‬‭Diamond;‬‭no‬‭NASA‬‭rocket‬‭scientist‬‭will‬‭ever‬‭set‬‭her‬‭sights‬‭on‬
‭Delaware.‬ ‭In‬ ‭the‬ ‭words‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭International‬ ‭Astronomical‬ ‭Union,‬ ‭a‬ ‭century-old‬ ‭body‬ ‭with‬ ‭82‬
‭member‬‭countries‬‭that‬‭through‬‭force‬‭of‬‭academic‬‭consensus‬‭actually‬‭has‬‭the‬‭power‬‭to‬‭name‬‭the‬
‭sky, the ISR "has no formal validity whatsoever."‬
 ‭ ecause‬ ‭the‬ ‭sky‬ ‭is‬ ‭shared‬ ‭but‬ ‭only‬ ‭accessible‬ ‭at‬ ‭a‬ ‭distance,‬ ‭there‬ ‭have‬ ‭always‬ ‭been‬
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‭competing‬‭star‬‭naming‬‭systems.‬‭Arabian‬‭cultures‬‭in‬‭the‬‭centuries‬‭after‬‭Mohammed,‬‭for‬‭example,‬
‭had‬‭a‬‭linguistic‬‭separation‬‭between‬‭what‬‭they‬‭called‬‭the‬‭stars‬‭of‬‭the‬‭astronomers‬‭and‬‭the‬‭"stars‬‭of‬
‭the‬‭Arabs"—those‬‭that‬‭common‬‭people‬‭used‬‭in‬‭daily‬‭life.‬‭But‬‭now‬‭that‬‭might‬‭change:‬‭As‬‭the‬‭ISR‬
‭sails‬‭past‬‭two‬‭million‬‭stars‬‭named,‬‭the‬‭IAU‬‭has‬‭formally‬‭set‬‭out‬‭to‬‭codify‬‭official‬‭star‬‭names‬‭for‬
‭the‬‭first‬‭time‬‭ever.‬‭In‬‭2016,‬‭it‬‭established‬‭a‬‭Working‬‭Group‬‭on‬‭Star‬‭Names‬‭to‬‭scour‬‭the‬‭globe‬‭for‬
‭potential names and to adjudicate naming disputes concerning prominent stars.‬

‭ he‬ ‭task‬ ‭requires‬ ‭great‬ ‭diplomacy:‬ ‭To‬ ‭label‬ ‭the‬ ‭sky‬ ‭is,‬ ‭necessarily,‬ ‭to‬ ‭unlabel‬ ‭it.‬ ‭The‬
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‭careful‬ ‭choice‬ ‭of‬ ‭which‬ ‭tradition‬ ‭to‬ ‭defer‬ ‭to‬ ‭contains‬ ‭acts‬‭of‬‭erasure.‬‭Should‬‭the‬‭two‬‭stars‬‭that‬
‭make‬ ‭up‬ ‭the‬ ‭"stinger"‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬ ‭Ptolemaic‬‭constellation‬‭Scorpius,‬‭for‬‭example,‬‭be‬‭named‬‭after‬‭the‬
‭Arabic‬‭and‬‭Greek‬‭words‬‭for‬‭stinger‬‭and‬‭sting‬‭respectively,‬‭as‬‭the‬‭Western‬‭tradition‬‭has‬‭decided?‬
‭Or‬‭should‬‭they‬‭be‬‭identified‬‭as‬‭two‬‭boys‬‭walking‬‭together,‬‭as‬‭the‬‭Chaco‬‭in‬‭Argentina‬‭have?‬‭The‬
‭IAU's‬ ‭parcelling‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭sky‬ ‭by‬‭executive‬‭decision,‬‭and‬‭to‬‭a‬‭lesser‬‭extent‬‭the‬‭ISR's‬‭by‬‭payment,‬
‭reveal‬ ‭an‬ ‭uncomfortable‬ ‭truth:‬ ‭The‬ ‭stars‬ ‭belong‬ ‭to‬ ‭everybody,‬ ‭but‬ ‭their‬ ‭names‬ ‭cannot.‬ ‭The‬
‭WGSN must now figure out how best to leave various peoples out.‬

‭ eaching for the Star Names‬

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‭Long‬ ‭before‬ ‭the‬ ‭days‬ ‭of‬ ‭Acrux,‬ ‭Gacrux,‬ ‭Libertas,‬ ‭and‬ ‭a‬ ‭slate‬ ‭of‬ ‭contrived‬ ‭names‬ ‭befitting‬ ‭of‬
‭sci-fi‬ ‭that‬ ‭came‬ ‭into‬ ‭existence‬ ‭in‬‭or‬‭after‬‭the‬‭19th‬‭century,‬‭the‬‭first‬‭star‬‭names‬‭were‬‭functional.‬
‭They‬ ‭emerged‬ ‭not‬ ‭from‬ ‭the‬ ‭halls‬ ‭of‬ ‭science,‬ ‭but‬ ‭rather‬ ‭from‬ ‭sailors‬ ‭and‬ ‭herdsmen,‬ ‭as‬ ‭a‬
‭navigational necessity or as an agricultural harbinger of the end of fall or the beginning of spring.‬

‭ or‬ ‭those,‬ ‭like‬ ‭sailors,‬ ‭who‬ ‭relied‬ ‭on‬ ‭the‬ ‭sky,‬ ‭constellation‬ ‭names‬ ‭typically‬ ‭formed‬‭the‬
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‭basis‬ ‭for‬ ‭star‬ ‭names.‬ ‭The‬ ‭stars‬ ‭in‬ ‭Ursa‬ ‭Major,‬ ‭for‬ ‭example,‬ ‭Dubhe,‬ ‭Merak,‬ ‭and‬ ‭Phecda‬ ‭mean‬
‭bear,‬ ‭loins‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭bear,‬ ‭and‬ ‭thigh‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬‭bear,‬‭respectively,‬‭in‬‭Arabic;‬‭the‬‭Southern‬‭Hemisphere‬
‭constellation‬‭Eradinus,‬‭the‬‭river,‬‭is‬‭made‬‭up‬‭in‬‭part‬‭by‬‭Archernar‬‭and‬‭Zaurak,‬‭Arabic‬‭for‬‭the‬‭end‬
‭of the river and the boat, respectively, and Rana, Latin for the frog.‬

I‭ n‬ ‭2010,‬ ‭after‬ ‭a‬ ‭number‬ ‭of‬ ‭exoplanets‬ ‭were‬ ‭discovered‬ ‭orbiting‬ ‭distant‬ ‭stars,‬ ‭the‬ ‭IAU‬
‭elected‬‭to‬‭label‬‭them‬‭via‬‭public‬‭naming‬‭contests.‬‭This‬‭decision‬‭led‬‭to‬‭a‬‭classificatory‬‭windfall:‬‭If‬
‭planets‬‭were‬‭to‬‭be‬‭named,‬‭so‬‭should‬‭their‬‭host‬‭stars,‬‭the‬‭IAU‬‭determined.‬‭But‬‭if‬‭host‬‭stars‬‭were‬
‭to‬‭receive‬‭names,‬‭it‬‭was‬‭important‬‭that‬‭we‬‭didn't‬‭re-use‬‭those‬‭from‬‭other‬‭stars,‬‭which‬‭meant‬‭the‬
‭IAU had to codify a list of those other stars.‬

I‭ n‬‭the‬‭process‬‭of‬‭cataloguing‬‭other‬‭star‬‭names,‬‭the‬‭IAU‬‭noticed‬‭that‬‭the‬‭names‬‭scientists‬
‭employed‬‭for‬‭notable‬‭stars‬‭were‬‭almost‬‭all‬‭in‬‭Greek,‬‭Latin,‬‭or‬‭Arabic.‬‭So‬‭the‬‭IAU‬‭established‬‭the‬
‭WGSN,‬ ‭which‬ ‭now‬ ‭seats‬ ‭18‬ ‭members,‬ ‭both‬ ‭to‬ ‭set‬ ‭official‬ ‭names,‬ ‭for‬‭perpetuity,‬‭of‬‭prominent‬
‭stars and to try to make the names of stars more culturally diverse and inclusive.‬

‭ ccording‬ ‭to‬ ‭Alejandro‬ ‭Martín‬ ‭López,‬ ‭a‬ ‭cultural‬ ‭astronomer‬ ‭and‬ ‭member‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭IAU‬
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‭from‬‭Argentina,‬‭the‬‭historic‬‭underrepresentation‬‭of‬‭indigenous‬‭groups‬‭in‬‭the‬‭Western‬‭astronomic‬
t‭radition‬ ‭has‬ ‭the‬ ‭effect‬ ‭of‬ ‭homogenizing‬ ‭far‬ ‭more‬ ‭than‬ ‭just‬ ‭the‬ ‭skies.‬ ‭"Many‬ ‭of‬ ‭these‬
‭astronomical‬‭views‬‭are‬‭linked‬‭with‬‭identity‬‭and‬‭idea‬‭of‬‭terrestrial‬‭landscape,"‬‭he‬‭says.‬‭"If‬‭you‬‭cut‬
‭these sky views, you cut these identities."‬

‭ he‬‭WGSN‬‭first‬‭began‬‭its‬‭search‬‭for‬‭a‬‭more‬‭expansive‬‭list‬‭of‬‭names‬‭by‬‭setting‬‭limits‬‭on‬
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‭acceptable‬ ‭ones.‬ ‭Among‬ ‭other‬ ‭dictates,‬ ‭names‬ ‭must‬ ‭be‬ ‭pronounceable‬ ‭in‬ ‭some‬
‭language—though‬ ‭all‬ ‭are‬ ‭transliterated‬‭into‬‭the‬‭Latin‬‭alphabet;‬‭they‬‭cannot‬‭be‬‭in‬‭reference‬‭to‬‭a‬
‭primarily‬ ‭military‬ ‭or‬ ‭political‬ ‭event;‬ ‭and‬ ‭they‬ ‭must‬ ‭be‬ ‭non-offensive,‬ ‭non-commercial,‬ ‭and‬
‭preferably‬‭between‬‭four‬‭and‬‭16‬‭characters.‬‭Pet‬‭names‬‭are‬‭also‬‭banned,‬‭pursuant‬‭to‬‭a‬‭controversy‬
‭in 1985 when an astronomer, James Gibson, named an asteroid "Mr. Spock," after his cat.‬

‭ ut‬ ‭beyond‬ ‭these‬ ‭restrictions,‬ ‭the‬ ‭problem‬ ‭of‬ ‭setting‬ ‭names—particularly‬ ‭with‬ ‭an‬ ‭eye‬
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‭toward‬‭durable‬‭relevance,‬‭linguistically‬‭and‬‭culturally,‬‭for‬‭the‬‭next‬‭thousands‬‭of‬‭years—is‬‭not‬‭an‬
‭easy one. Imagine you were tasked with naming celestial objects. Where would you begin?‬

‭ he‬ ‭first‬ ‭step‬ ‭might‬ ‭be‬ ‭to‬ ‭set‬ ‭a‬ ‭language,‬ ‭much‬ ‭as‬ ‭the‬ ‭IAU‬ ‭has‬ ‭with‬ ‭Latin.‬ ‭With‬
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‭perpetuity‬‭in‬‭mind,‬‭however,‬‭this‬‭part‬‭is‬‭tough.‬‭The‬‭languages‬‭people‬‭recognize‬‭shift‬‭rapidly‬‭and‬
‭unpredictably:‬ ‭200‬ ‭years‬ ‭ago,‬ ‭French‬ ‭was‬ ‭a‬ ‭dominant‬ ‭language‬ ‭worldwide.‬ ‭And‬ ‭of‬ ‭course,‬ ‭a‬
‭language‬‭itself‬‭can‬‭morph:‬‭Middle‬‭English‬‭didn't‬‭have‬‭set‬‭capitalization‬‭rules‬‭or‬‭contractions,‬‭the‬
‭letters‬ ‭"U"‬ ‭and‬ ‭"J"‬ ‭came‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭modern‬ ‭English‬‭language‬‭in‬‭the‬‭16th‬‭century,‬‭and‬‭"snowflake"‬
‭did not come to officially mean an "overly sensitive person" until 2019.‬

‭ hese‬ ‭and‬ ‭other‬ ‭problems‬ ‭posed‬ ‭by‬ ‭shifting‬ ‭languages‬ ‭have‬ ‭dogged‬ ‭star‬ ‭catalogers‬ ‭for‬
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‭millennia.‬ ‭Lesath,‬ ‭one‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭stinger‬ ‭stars‬ ‭in‬ ‭Scorpius,‬‭was‬‭mistranslated‬‭from‬‭its‬‭initial‬‭Greek‬
‭meaning‬‭of‬‭"foggy"‬‭to‬‭Arabic‬‭to‬‭Latin‬‭and‬‭then‬‭back‬‭to‬‭Arabic‬‭again‬‭before‬‭astronomers‬‭settled‬
‭on a name meaning "sting."‬

‭ nce‬‭you've‬‭chosen‬‭a‬‭language—linguists‬‭say‬‭that‬‭Latin‬‭and‬‭Arabic‬‭are‬‭sensible‬‭choices,‬
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‭since‬‭both‬‭have‬‭long‬‭traditions‬‭in‬‭the‬‭sciences—the‬‭real‬‭task‬‭begins.‬‭In‬‭the‬‭West,‬‭but‬‭notably‬‭not‬
‭so‬‭much‬‭elsewhere,‬‭places‬‭and‬‭geographical‬‭features‬‭are‬‭often‬‭named‬‭after‬‭historical‬‭or‬‭religious‬
‭figures,‬‭according‬‭to‬‭Sheila‬‭Embleton,‬‭a‬‭York‬‭University‬‭linguist‬‭who‬‭was‬‭once‬‭president‬‭of‬‭the‬
‭International‬ ‭Council‬ ‭of‬ ‭Onomastic‬‭Sciences,‬‭an‬‭academic‬‭organization‬‭devoted‬‭to‬‭the‬‭study‬‭of‬
‭naming.‬‭But‬‭there‬‭is‬‭a‬‭big‬‭problem‬‭with‬‭naming‬‭stars‬‭after‬‭such‬‭figures—which‬‭perhaps‬‭explains‬
‭why‬‭the‬‭WGSN‬‭has‬‭a‬‭guideline‬‭against‬‭naming‬‭bright‬‭stars‬‭after‬‭individuals:‬‭As‬‭mores‬‭change,‬
‭and‬‭historical‬‭heroes‬‭are‬‭re-assessed‬‭as‬‭immoral,‬‭cancel‬‭culture‬‭can‬‭come‬‭for‬‭the‬‭stars.‬‭This‬‭isn't‬
‭an‬‭abstract‬‭problem‬‭in‬‭the‬‭naming‬‭of‬‭outer‬‭space.‬‭There‬‭are‬‭asteroids‬‭today‬‭named‬‭after‬‭Vladimir‬
‭Lenin‬ ‭(Wladilena)‬ ‭and‬ ‭Josip‬ ‭Tito‬ ‭(Tito).‬ ‭A‬ ‭number‬ ‭of‬ ‭minor‬ ‭planets,‬ ‭like‬ ‭major‬ ‭countries‬‭and‬
‭institutions on Earth, are named after Christopher Columbus.‬

‭ mbleton‬ ‭suggests‬‭that‬‭saints‬‭and‬‭royalty‬‭tend‬‭to‬‭have‬‭names‬‭that‬‭age‬‭well—the‬‭former‬
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‭because‬‭they‬‭have‬‭been‬‭pre-vetted,‬‭and‬‭the‬‭latter,‬‭she‬‭says,‬‭because‬‭they‬‭are‬‭given‬‭a‬‭pass.‬‭If‬‭such‬
‭names‬‭aren't‬‭to‬‭your‬‭taste,‬‭however,‬‭another‬‭solution‬‭is‬‭to‬‭name‬‭astronomical‬‭bodies‬‭after‬‭lesser‬
‭figures,‬‭with‬‭no‬‭presumption‬‭of‬‭sustained‬‭cultural‬‭relevance.‬‭All‬‭four‬‭Beatles,‬‭Eric‬‭Clapton,‬‭and‬
‭ erbert‬ ‭Hoover‬ ‭have‬ ‭asteroids‬ ‭named‬ ‭after‬ ‭them;‬ ‭Monty‬ ‭Python's‬‭John‬‭Cleese‬‭is‬‭now‬‭a‬‭minor‬
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‭planet,‬‭as‬‭are‬‭Bill‬‭Nye,‬‭Johnny‬‭Galecki,‬‭and‬‭Beatrix‬‭Potter‬‭(and‬‭Bacon‬‭and‬‭Beer).‬‭Outer‬‭space‬‭is‬
‭littered‬ ‭with‬ ‭nominal‬ ‭grabs‬ ‭for‬ ‭immortality:‬‭The‬‭names‬‭of‬‭astronomers‬‭and‬‭their‬‭dead‬‭relatives‬
‭sprinkle‬ ‭the‬ ‭sky,‬ ‭Lutz‬ ‭Schmadel,‬ ‭a‬ ‭prolific‬ ‭discoverer‬ ‭of‬ ‭asteroids,‬ ‭once‬ ‭said,‬ ‭though‬
‭spouse-inspired names are more common than children-inspired ones.‬

I‭ f‬ ‭you're‬ ‭worried‬ ‭that‬ ‭a‬ ‭reference‬ ‭to‬ ‭a‬‭person‬‭might‬‭become‬‭dated,‬‭you‬‭might‬‭decide‬‭to‬

‭instead‬ ‭name‬ ‭a‬ ‭star‬ ‭after‬ ‭a‬ ‭geographical‬ ‭or‬ ‭spatial‬ ‭feature,‬ ‭as‬ ‭is‬ ‭common‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬ ‭non-Western‬
‭world,‬ ‭according‬ ‭to‬ ‭Embleton.‬ ‭This‬ ‭is,‬ ‭of‬ ‭course,‬ ‭how‬ ‭many‬ ‭constellations‬ ‭were‬ ‭named:‬ ‭after‬
‭what‬ ‭they‬ ‭loosely‬‭appeared‬‭to‬‭be.‬‭But‬‭the‬‭unity‬‭of‬‭celestial‬‭vision‬‭is‬‭often‬‭hard‬‭to‬‭achieve.‬‭The‬
‭sky‬‭is‬‭chaotic,‬‭and‬‭the‬‭same‬‭grouping‬‭of‬‭stars‬‭can‬‭be‬‭interpreted‬‭in‬‭starkly‬‭different‬‭ways,‬‭as‬‭if‬‭a‬
‭Rorschach‬‭test.‬‭Some‬‭tribes‬‭in‬‭North‬‭America‬‭see‬‭what‬‭is‬‭known‬‭officially‬‭as‬‭Ursa‬‭Major‬‭as‬‭an‬
‭elk,‬‭deer,‬‭or‬‭scorpion;‬‭others‬‭in‬‭the‬‭Americas‬‭see‬‭half‬‭of‬‭it‬‭as‬‭a‬‭bear,‬‭and‬‭the‬‭other‬‭half‬‭as‬‭three‬
‭hunters‬ ‭chasing‬ ‭it;‬‭in‬‭Europe,‬‭many‬‭see‬‭it‬‭as‬‭a‬‭wagon.‬‭Owing‬‭to‬‭this‬‭wild‬‭variance‬‭in‬‭symbolic‬
‭projections‬‭onto‬‭the‬‭sky,‬‭some‬‭scholars‬‭in‬‭the‬‭'60s‬‭even‬‭suggested‬‭one‬‭could‬‭derive‬‭a‬‭genealogy‬
‭of‬‭tribes‬‭from‬‭the‬‭degree‬‭to‬‭which‬‭their‬‭folkloric‬‭cosmologies‬‭were‬‭shared;‬‭one‬‭astronomer‬‭took‬
‭this‬‭logic‬‭to‬‭its‬‭cosmic‬‭conclusion‬‭and‬‭argued‬‭the‬‭intercontinental‬‭interpretation‬‭of‬‭Ursa‬‭Major‬‭as‬
‭seven brothers was evidence of migration into America from Siberia during the Ice Age.‬

‭ eyond‬‭disagreement‬‭on‬‭how‬‭to‬‭name‬‭the‬‭same‬‭sets‬‭of‬‭stars,‬‭another‬‭problem‬‭is‬‭that‬‭not‬
B
‭every‬ ‭cultural‬ ‭tradition‬ ‭views‬ ‭the‬ ‭sky‬ ‭as‬ ‭a‬ ‭collection‬ ‭of‬ ‭nameable‬ ‭items‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬ ‭same‬ ‭discreet‬
‭ways.‬‭According‬‭to‬‭Martín‬‭López,‬‭many‬‭indigenous‬‭groups‬‭have‬‭names‬‭for‬‭asterisms‬‭(clusters‬‭of‬
‭stars),‬ ‭but‬ ‭not‬ ‭for‬ ‭individual‬ ‭ones.‬ ‭Other‬‭groups‬‭include‬‭negative‬‭features‬‭of‬‭the‬‭sky—the‬‭dark‬
‭spots‬‭between‬‭stars—as‬‭constituent‬‭parts‬‭of‬‭constellations:‬‭The‬‭Chaco‬‭in‬‭Argentina,‬‭for‬‭example,‬
‭refer‬ ‭to‬ ‭Alpha‬ ‭Centauri,‬ ‭or‬ ‭Rigel‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭IAU—a‬ ‭binary‬ ‭star‬ ‭that‬ ‭appears‬ ‭as‬ ‭one‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭naked‬
‭eye—as‬‭the‬‭"two‬‭dogs‬‭chasing‬‭the‬‭celestial‬‭bird."‬‭In‬‭this‬‭account,‬‭the‬‭bird‬‭is‬‭formed,‬‭like‬‭a‬‭photo‬
‭negative, by a swath of dark spots in the band of the Milky Way.‬

‭ inally,‬‭there's‬‭the‬‭challenge‬‭of‬‭balancing‬‭names‬‭with‬‭the‬‭fact‬‭that‬‭the‬‭night‬‭sky‬‭is‬‭not‬‭an‬
F
‭equally‬‭shared‬‭resource.‬‭People‬‭at‬‭the‬‭planet's‬‭extremes,‬‭like‬‭the‬‭Inuit,‬‭for‬‭example,‬‭have‬‭limited‬
‭nighttime‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬ ‭summer,‬ ‭and‬ ‭they‬ ‭experience‬ ‭snow‬ ‭and‬ ‭cloud‬ ‭cover,‬ ‭as‬ ‭well‬ ‭as‬ ‭bright‬ ‭polar‬
‭moonlight,‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬ ‭winter.‬ ‭As‬ ‭a‬ ‭result,‬ ‭historically,‬ ‭they've‬ ‭had‬ ‭fewer‬ ‭star‬ ‭names‬ ‭than‬ ‭have‬
‭herdsmen‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬ ‭world's‬ ‭grassy‬ ‭plains.‬ ‭As‬ ‭the‬ ‭WGSN‬ ‭collects‬ ‭names,‬‭its‬‭chair,‬‭Eric‬‭Mamajek,‬
‭has‬ ‭noticed‬ ‭that‬ ‭the‬ ‭Chinese‬ ‭and‬ ‭Wardaman‬‭people‬‭of‬‭Indigenous‬‭Australia,‬‭for‬‭example,‬‭have‬
‭many‬‭star‬‭names‬‭to‬‭choose‬‭from,‬‭whereas‬‭other‬‭groups,‬‭such‬‭as‬‭the‬‭Mursi‬‭people‬‭of‬‭Ethiopia‬‭and‬
‭Native‬ ‭Hawaiians,‬ ‭do‬ ‭not.‬ ‭(Recently,‬ ‭the‬ ‭IAU‬ ‭adopted‬‭the‬‭star‬‭name‬‭"Imai,"‬‭from‬‭Mursi,‬‭for‬‭a‬
‭star‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬ ‭Southern‬ ‭Cross,‬ ‭and‬ ‭"Paikauhale,"‬‭from‬‭Hawaiian,‬‭for‬‭a‬‭star‬‭in‬‭Scorpius).‬‭Mamajek‬
‭notes‬ ‭that‬ ‭most‬ ‭traditions‬ ‭have‬ ‭names‬ ‭for‬ ‭the‬‭brightest‬‭star,‬‭Alpha‬‭Canis‬‭Majoris‬‭or‬‭Sirius,‬‭but‬
‭none‬‭have‬‭a‬‭non-scientific‬‭name‬‭for‬‭the‬‭relatively‬‭bright‬‭star‬‭in‬‭the‬‭constellation‬‭Lupus‬‭currently‬
‭referred to as Epsilon Lupi.‬
 "‭ Our‬ ‭focus‬‭over‬‭the‬‭next‬‭couple‬‭years‬‭is‬‭on‬‭widening‬‭the‬‭net‬‭for‬‭names‬‭from‬‭a‬‭growing‬
‭list‬ ‭of‬ ‭cultures,"‬ ‭Mamajek‬ ‭says.‬ ‭"Much‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭low-hanging‬ ‭fruit‬ ‭in‬ ‭terms‬ ‭of‬ ‭astronomical‬
‭literature has been already harvested."‬

‭ he‬ ‭WGSN‬ ‭has‬ ‭slowed‬ ‭down‬ ‭on‬ ‭naming‬ ‭stars,‬ ‭according‬ ‭to‬ ‭Mamajek,‬ ‭to‬‭make‬‭sure‬‭it‬
T
‭continues‬ ‭to‬ ‭find‬ ‭names‬ ‭that‬ ‭expand‬ ‭the‬ ‭cultural‬ ‭horizons‬ ‭of‬‭the‬‭IAU.‬‭He‬‭specifies‬‭that,‬‭of‬‭the‬
‭current‬ ‭313‬ ‭names,‬ ‭Indigenous‬ ‭groups‬ ‭from‬ ‭the‬ ‭Americas‬ ‭and‬ ‭Africa‬ ‭are‬ ‭notably‬
‭underrepresented.‬

‭ or‬ ‭most,‬ ‭there's‬ ‭no‬ ‭official‬ ‭recourse‬ ‭for‬ ‭being‬ ‭left‬ ‭out‬‭of‬‭the‬‭IAU's‬‭naming‬‭of‬‭the‬‭sky.‬
F
‭For‬ ‭those‬ ‭of‬ ‭means‬ ‭and‬ ‭no‬ ‭regard‬ ‭for‬ ‭scientific‬ ‭validity,‬ ‭however,‬ ‭there‬ ‭is,‬ ‭perhaps,‬ ‭another‬
‭option.‬

‭ Star is Bought‬
A
‭In‬ ‭May‬ ‭of‬ ‭1979,‬ ‭the‬ ‭Toronto‬ ‭Festival‬ ‭of‬ ‭Festivals‬ ‭made‬ ‭a‬ ‭promise‬ ‭to‬ ‭prospective‬ ‭patrons:‬
‭Anyone‬ ‭who‬ ‭gave‬ ‭more‬ ‭than‬ ‭$250‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭event‬ ‭would‬ ‭get‬ ‭the‬ ‭right‬ ‭to‬ ‭name‬ ‭a‬ ‭star‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬
‭Andromeda‬ ‭galaxy,‬ ‭authenticated‬ ‭by‬‭the‬‭International‬‭Star‬‭Registry‬‭with‬‭the‬‭cooperation‬‭of‬‭the‬
‭Smithsonian‬‭Institute,‬‭and‬‭recorded‬‭by‬‭the‬‭Library‬‭of‬‭Congress.‬‭Yet,‬‭in‬‭July,‬‭two‬‭months‬‭before‬
‭the‬ ‭festival‬ ‭began,‬ ‭representatives‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭Smithsonian‬ ‭issued‬ ‭a‬ ‭press‬ ‭release‬ ‭clarifying‬‭that‬‭the‬
‭organization‬ ‭had‬ ‭never‬ ‭heard‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭International‬ ‭Star‬ ‭Registry‬ ‭prior‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭festival.‬ ‭Later‬‭that‬
‭year,‬ ‭a‬ ‭Library‬ ‭of‬ ‭Congress‬ ‭spokesman‬ ‭said,‬ ‭on‬ ‭account‬‭of‬‭the‬‭misleading‬‭branding,‬‭that‬‭she'd‬
‭"like to put them [the ISR] out of business."‬

‭ ressed‬ ‭for‬ ‭explanation,‬ ‭the‬ ‭film‬ ‭festival‬ ‭admitted‬ ‭its‬ ‭promise‬ ‭had‬ ‭been‬ ‭in‬ ‭error:‬ ‭The‬
P
‭International‬ ‭Star‬ ‭Registry,‬ ‭in‬ ‭fact,‬ ‭would‬ ‭simply‬ ‭use‬ ‭Smithsonian‬ ‭Institution‬ ‭coordinates‬ ‭to‬
‭identify‬‭stars‬‭to‬‭be‬‭named,‬‭and‬‭would‬‭publish‬‭those‬‭names‬‭and‬‭corresponding‬‭geo-locations‬‭in‬‭a‬
‭book‬ ‭copyrighted‬ ‭by‬ ‭the‬ ‭Library‬ ‭of‬‭Congress,‬‭as‬‭all‬‭books‬‭published‬‭in‬‭America‬‭are.‬‭What‬‭the‬
‭ISR offered, in actuality, was little more than a galactic cartography of unfulfillable promises.‬

‭ nd‬ ‭yet,‬ ‭despite‬ ‭astronomers‬ ‭like‬ ‭former‬ ‭IAU‬ ‭Documentation‬ ‭Committee‬ ‭Chairman‬
A
‭Wullf‬ ‭Heintz‬ ‭consistently‬ ‭decrying‬ ‭the‬ ‭ISR‬ ‭as‬ ‭a‬ ‭"dumb‬ ‭idea"‬ ‭or‬ ‭the‬ ‭"result‬ ‭of‬ ‭decaying‬
‭capitalism,"‬ ‭buyers‬ ‭kept‬ ‭coming.‬ ‭In‬ ‭1982,‬ ‭the‬ ‭Research‬ ‭Institute‬ ‭of‬‭America‬‭suggested‬‭buying‬
‭star‬ ‭names‬ ‭to‬ ‭reward‬ ‭standout‬ ‭employees;‬ ‭by‬ ‭1984,‬ ‭there‬ ‭were‬ ‭16‬ ‭stars‬ ‭awarded‬ ‭to‬ ‭"John‬
‭Smiths," and five named to Barry Manilow.‬

I‭ n‬‭1983,‬‭John‬‭Mosele,‬‭the‬‭vice‬‭president‬‭of‬‭the‬‭ISR,‬‭called‬‭his‬‭organization's‬‭reference‬‭to‬
‭the‬‭Library‬‭of‬‭Congress‬‭in‬‭a‬‭promotional‬‭capacity‬‭"legitimate‬‭puffery."‬‭Today,‬‭Elaine‬‭Stolpe,‬‭the‬
‭ISR's‬‭director‬‭of‬‭marketing‬‭and‬‭communications,‬‭makes‬‭clear‬‭that‬‭the‬‭"service‬‭is‬‭not‬‭intended‬‭for‬
‭scientific research; it is intended as a lasting gift."‬

‭ he‬ ‭ISR‬ ‭has‬ ‭now‬ ‭sold‬ ‭over‬ ‭two‬ ‭million‬ ‭stars—well‬ ‭beyond‬ ‭the‬ ‭400,000‬ ‭it‬ ‭reported‬
T
‭having‬‭in‬‭stock‬‭for‬‭purchase‬‭in‬‭1982.‬‭It‬‭partners‬‭with‬‭film‬‭companies‬‭releasing‬‭movies,‬‭and‬‭the‬
‭ ake-a-Wish‬ ‭Foundation,‬ ‭and,‬ ‭unlike‬ ‭the‬ ‭IAU,‬ ‭allows‬ ‭names‬ ‭from‬ ‭a‬ ‭variety‬ ‭of‬
M
‭languages—simplified‬ ‭Chinese,‬ ‭and‬ ‭Greek—to‬ ‭be‬ ‭written‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬ ‭native‬ ‭characters.‬ ‭While‬ ‭the‬
‭European‬ ‭Union‬ ‭does‬ ‭not‬ ‭recognize‬ ‭its‬ ‭trademarks,‬ ‭considering‬ ‭them‬ ‭deceptive,‬ ‭the‬ ‭ISR‬ ‭has‬
‭successfully‬‭fended‬‭off‬‭copycats‬‭in‬‭the‬‭United‬‭States‬‭multiple‬‭times.‬‭It‬‭has‬‭withstood‬‭citation‬‭and‬
‭investigations‬‭by‬‭multiple‬‭state‬‭departments‬‭of‬‭commerce‬‭alleging‬‭grift,‬‭only‬‭to‬‭later‬‭earn‬‭an‬‭A+‬
‭rating from the Better Business Bureau.‬

"‭ Stars‬ ‭don't‬ ‭belong‬ ‭to‬‭anyone—to‬‭us,‬‭or‬‭astronomers,"‬‭Stolpe‬‭says.‬‭"We're‬‭respectful‬‭of‬

‭astronomers,‬‭but‬‭we‬‭believe‬‭everybody‬‭is‬‭moved‬‭by‬‭the‬‭stars‬‭and‬‭always‬‭has‬‭been.‬‭They‬‭belong‬
‭to everybody."‬

I‭ n‬ ‭fact,‬ ‭one‬ ‭star,‬ ‭it‬ ‭turns‬ ‭out,‬ ‭may‬ ‭have‬ ‭unofficially‬ ‭belonged‬ ‭to‬ ‭me.‬ ‭My‬ ‭aunt,‬ ‭when‬ ‭I‬ ‭was‬ ‭in‬
‭elementary‬ ‭school,‬ ‭purchased‬ ‭a‬ ‭star‬ ‭name‬ ‭for‬ ‭me‬ ‭and‬ ‭my‬ ‭siblings‬ ‭one‬ ‭Christmas.‬ ‭In‬ ‭physical‬
‭terms,‬ ‭the‬ ‭gift‬ ‭was‬ ‭an‬ ‭enveloped‬ ‭certificate,‬ ‭with‬ ‭data‬ ‭on‬ ‭where‬ ‭to‬‭look‬‭for‬‭the‬‭star.‬‭In‬‭turn,‬‭it‬
‭became‬‭misplaced‬‭on‬‭some‬‭shelf‬‭in‬‭the‬‭flotsam‬‭of‬‭school‬‭art‬‭projects‬‭and‬‭papers,‬‭sports‬‭gear‬‭and‬
‭participant‬‭trophies,‬‭Gameboys‬‭and‬‭binoculars.‬‭With‬‭the‬‭certificate,‬‭the‬‭star‬‭was‬‭functionally‬‭lost‬
‭too.‬

I‭ n‬‭an‬‭email‬‭last‬‭month,‬‭Stolpe‬‭confirmed‬‭for‬‭me‬‭the‬‭existence‬‭of‬‭"Rowen's‬‭Star,"‬‭printed‬
‭and‬‭copyrighted‬‭by‬‭the‬‭Library‬‭of‬‭Congress‬‭in‬‭the‬‭seventh‬‭volume‬‭of‬‭ISR's‬‭book,‬‭Your‬‭Place‬‭in‬
‭the‬‭Cosmos.‬‭The‬‭star,‬‭close‬‭to‬‭the‬‭third‬‭brightest‬‭one‬‭in‬‭the‬‭Northern‬‭Hemisphere,‬‭Capella,‬‭is‬‭not‬
‭itself‬ ‭visible‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭naked‬ ‭eye.‬ ‭"The‬ ‭biggest‬ ‭impediment‬ ‭to‬ ‭locating‬ ‭stars‬ ‭of‬ ‭this‬ ‭magnitude‬ ‭is‬
‭light‬‭pollution‬‭rather‬‭than‬‭magnification,"‬‭Stolpe‬‭wrote.‬‭I‬‭had‬‭grown‬‭up‬‭in‬‭a‬‭city.‬‭I'm‬‭not‬‭sure‬‭any‬
‭of us had ever looked for Rowen's Star—but perhaps we had gone out and just missed it.‬

‭ ut‬‭earlier‬‭this‬‭month,‬‭I‬‭wanted‬‭to‬‭find‬‭it.‬‭The‬‭universe,‬‭it‬‭has‬‭been‬‭noted,‬‭has‬‭a‬‭way‬‭of‬
B
‭trivializing‬ ‭earthly‬ ‭squabbles‬ ‭and‬ ‭ambition‬ ‭on‬ ‭account‬ ‭of‬ ‭their‬ ‭cosmic‬ ‭insignificance.‬ ‭This‬ ‭is‬
‭supposed‬ ‭to‬ ‭be‬ ‭a‬ ‭humbling‬ ‭thought,‬ ‭but‬‭cosmic‬‭insignificance‬‭also‬‭facilitates‬‭Earthly‬‭delusion:‬
‭While‬ ‭I‬ ‭may‬ ‭be‬ ‭meaningless,‬ ‭I‬ ‭thought,‬ ‭I'm‬ ‭meaningless‬ ‭on‬ ‭the‬ ‭same‬ ‭order‬ ‭of‬ ‭magnitude‬ ‭as‬
‭mountains,‬ ‭parliaments,‬ ‭and‬ ‭astronomical‬ ‭authorities.‬ ‭My‬ ‭star‬ ‭name‬‭is‬‭a‬‭rounding‬‭error,‬‭but‬‭so‬
‭are the IAUs: The stars, in belonging to none of us, can be claimed by all.‬

‭ round‬ ‭2:30‬ ‭a.m.‬ ‭one‬ ‭recent‬ ‭Friday,‬ ‭I‬ ‭headed‬ ‭out‬ ‭to‬ ‭a‬ ‭vacant,‬ ‭dimly‬ ‭lit‬ ‭lot‬ ‭by‬ ‭my‬
A
‭apartment.‬‭As‬‭a‬‭child,‬‭I‬‭had‬‭loved‬‭star-gazing,‬‭but‬‭the‬‭experience‬‭of‬‭looking‬‭for‬‭Rowen's‬‭Star‬‭put‬
‭my‬ ‭antique‬ ‭knowledge‬‭to‬‭the‬‭test.‬‭I‬‭knew‬‭from‬‭a‬‭Google‬‭search‬‭to‬‭look‬‭for‬‭the‬‭Big‬‭Dipper,‬‭the‬
‭key‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭convoluted‬ ‭skies,‬‭whose‬‭top‬‭edge‬‭forms‬‭a‬‭line‬‭that‬‭points‬‭in‬‭the‬‭general‬‭direction‬‭of‬
‭Capella,‬‭in‬‭the‬‭constellation‬‭Auriga.‬‭I‬‭had‬‭sketched‬‭a‬‭rough‬‭idea‬‭of‬‭how‬‭to‬‭triangulate‬‭the‬‭region‬
‭where‬‭my‬‭star‬‭must‬‭be—plain‬‭black‬‭to‬‭the‬‭naked‬‭eye—once‬‭I'd‬‭located‬‭Auriga,‬‭which‬‭allegedly‬
‭resembles‬‭a‬‭charioteer‬‭and‬‭his‬‭goat.‬‭But‬‭the‬‭first‬‭night‬‭I‬‭looked‬‭to‬‭the‬‭northeast,‬‭the‬‭Dipper‬‭had‬
‭plunged behind mountains, and I couldn't find a goat in the sky.‬
 ‭ wo‬‭nights‬‭later‬‭I‬‭went‬‭back‬‭out,‬‭armed‬‭with‬‭more‬‭indicators.‬‭The‬‭star‬‭would‬‭be‬‭near‬‭the‬
T
‭constellation‬ ‭Perseus‬ ‭too;‬ ‭at‬‭4:50‬‭a.m.,‬‭Orion's‬‭belt‬‭would‬‭crest‬‭and‬‭I‬‭could‬‭locate‬‭his‬‭non-bow‬
‭hand,‬ ‭which‬ ‭would‬ ‭gesture‬ ‭in‬ ‭Rowen's‬ ‭direction.‬ ‭But‬ ‭when‬ ‭I‬ ‭walked‬ ‭to‬ ‭my‬ ‭car‬ ‭to‬ ‭drive‬ ‭to‬‭an‬
‭even darker field, there was too heavy cloud cover, so I turned back.‬

‭ n‬ ‭my‬ ‭third‬ ‭attempt,‬ ‭an‬ ‭evening‬ ‭later,‬ ‭I‬ ‭finally‬ ‭found‬ ‭some‬ ‭success.‬ ‭Tracking‬ ‭a‬ ‭line‬
O
‭across‬‭the‬‭top‬‭of‬‭the‬‭Dipper,‬‭passing‬‭by‬‭scores‬‭of‬‭inaccessible‬‭stars‬‭I‬‭didn't‬‭know‬‭the‬‭name‬‭of,‬‭I‬
‭eventually‬ ‭landed‬ ‭upon‬ ‭Capella.‬ ‭I‬ ‭pulled‬ ‭out‬ ‭my‬ ‭binoculars‬ ‭and‬ ‭fixed‬ ‭them‬ ‭on‬ ‭a‬ ‭nearby‬ ‭dark‬
‭region, bringing yet more stars to life. Which one was Rowen's, I couldn't quite tell.‬