In the last two decades a new wonderland of naming opportunities has emerged with the discovery of planets around other stars, potential cradles of life and far-future adventure. But so far exoplanets, like everything else in the sky, mostly don’t have names, just numbers, like HD 156411 b or HAT-P-5b. Celestial nomenclature typically is a rigid and exclusive business, closely managed by the International Astronomical Union, the world organization of astronomers. is sharing the fun, allowing every country in the world to name its own exoplanet and the star it calls home. Each star on the list is visible and bright enough to be seen with a small telescope from the country that now has dibs on it.

Source: International New York Times June 14, 2019 20:50 UTC