Majriti (υ And d)

Star Lore IAU 100 NameExoWorlds The 2019 Project Constellations A - D

TRAPPIST-1 h

Encouraged by the 2015 event and celebrating its 100th anniversary, in 2019, the IAU launched a much larger project called IAU 100 NameExoWorlds, offering every country on Earth the chance to name one planetary system, comprising an exoplanet and its host star. Every participating country voted on the proposals of that nation. As a result, out of thousands of proposals, the names for 113 stars and 113 exoplanets were adopted by the IAU (click here for the complete list). Here is the first set of the (still incomplete) results of this event, sorted alphabetically by constellation.

Andromeda

Ethiopia is considered the birthplace of coffee. Star HD 16175 was named Buna, which is the traditional Ethiopian word for Coffee. Planet HD 16175 b was named Abol after the first of three rounds of coffee in the Ethiopian traditional coffee ceremony.

Buna ceremony; tiplr.com

The Netherlands were the only country choosing paintings: Star HAT-P-6 was named Sterrennacht, Dutch for Starry Night, after a famous painting by Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh. Planet HAT-P-6b was named Nachtwacht, Dutch for Night Watch, after a painting by Dutch painter Rembrandt.

Starry Night Source: Wikipedia

The Night Watch Source: Wikipedia

Antlia Colombia chose One Hundred Years of Solitude, a world-famous novel written in 1967 by Nobel-Price Laureate Gabriel García Márquez, to name the star HD 93083 and its planet HD 93083 b. HD 93083 was named Macondo after the mythical village of the novel. Macondo is a fictional place where magic and reality are mixed. Planet HD 93083 b was named Melquíades, after a Gypsy character who returned to Macondo every year, circling the village like a planet. Source: NameExoWorlds Approved Names

Cien años de soledad Source: penguinlibros.com

Apus New_Zealand used a plant and a bird native to New Zealand and living in a symbiotic relationships. Both names were taken from the Māori language. The star HD 137388 was named Karaka after an evergreen tree endemic to New Zealand. Planet HD 137388b was named Kererū after large bush pigeon native to New Zealand.

Karaka

Kererū

Aquarius

Bosnia and Herzegovina suggested the name Bosona for the star HD 206610. Bosnia was first mentioned in the mid-10th century in a politico-geographical handbook written by Byzantine emperor Constantine VII. In it, he describes the "small land of Bosona." The name also relates to the Bosna River. Exoplanet HD 206610 b was named Naron, an antique name for the river Neretva.

Bosna River; Wikipedia

Aquarius was always related to floods and droughts. Going along with that theme, the Dominican Republic named the star WASP-6 Márohu. Planet WASP-6b was named Boinayel. Márohu and Boinayel were deities of the indigenous Taíno people of the Caribbean. Márohu was the the god of drought is the protector of the Sun. Boinayel was the god of rain that fertilizes the soil. Sources: IAU100 Name ExoWorlds: Approved Names

Wood carving of Boinayel Source: The British Museum

Hong Kong's contribution was the name Lionrock for the star HD 212771. Lion Rock is a mountain top resembling a crouching lion. Exoplanet HD 212771 b was named Victoriapeak after Victoria Peak, the highest hill on Hong Kong island. Both mountains are of high cultural significance for the people of Hong Kong.

Lion Rock; Wikipedia

Aquila

Jordan choose two UNESCO World Heritage Sites for its contributions. Star WASP-80 was named Petra after the famous historic and archaeological city Petra in the south of the country. Planet WASP-80b was named Wadirum. Wadi Rum, the Valley of the Moon is the largest sandstone valley in Jordan and has been inhabited by many human cultures since prehistoric times.

Great Temple in Petra Source: National Geographic

Petroglyphs in Wadi Rum Source: Wikipedia

Lebanon named star HD 192263 Phoenicia after the ancient Mediterranean seafaring civilization. The ancient Phoenician city of Beirut became the namesake for planet HD 192263 b.

Phoenician ship in Beirut Source: khanacademy.org

Tunisia selected two pieces of traditional culture. Chéchia, a flat-surfaced, red wool hat is the traditional Tunisian headdress for men and women. The name was chosen as the name for star HD 192699 Planet HD 192699 b was named Khomsa. Khomsa, also called Khamsa or Hamsa is a popular palm-shaped amulet, used in jewelry and decorations. It depicts an open right hand and is often found in modern designs.

Chéchia; Wikipedia

Khomsa; etsy.com

Ara Peru selected the names Inquill for the star HD 156411 and Sumajmajta for planet HD 156411 b. Inquill and Sumaj Majta were the two main characters in the story Way to the Sun and other works by Peruvian writer Abraham Valdelomar. Source: Nameexoworlds - Final Results

Abraham Valdelomar Source:thefamouspeople.com

Boötes Andorra named the star HD 131496 after Arcalís, a mountain peak in the north of the country. Twice a year at fixed dates, the Sun shines through a gap at the mountain, which led to its use as a primitive Solar calendar. Planet HD 131496 b was named Madriu after a glacial valley and river in the southeastern part of the country. The Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley is a UNESCO world heritage site. Source: Nameexoworlds - Final Results

Arcalís; esquiades.com

Canada choose the names Nikawiy and Awasis for the star HD 136118 and its planet HD 136118 b. The words mean Mother and Child in the language of the Cree. The Cree are one of the largest First Nations in what is now Canada and have a colorful and comprehensive Star Lore, which can be seen here. Source: Nameexoworlds - Final Results The picture to the right shows a Cree Indian mother and child, near Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, circa 1930. © Paul Popper/Popperfoto via Getty Images

Cancer The Himalayan kingdom Bhutan selected the name Gakyid, meaning Happiness for star HD 17156. Bhutan considers the introduction of the concept of Gross National Happiness as one of its main contributions to the world. Planet HD 17156 b was named Drukyul, which is the native name of the country, meaning "land of the thunder dragon."

National Flag of Bhutan Source: lonelyplanet.com

Canis Major

Nigeria selected the name Amadioha for star HD 43197. Amadioha is the god of thunder and lightning in the religion of the Igbo people in southeastern Nigeria. Planet HD 43197 b was named Equiano. Olaudah Equiano was an 18th century a writer and abolitionist from the Kingdom of Benin in today's southern Nigeria). He was enslaved as a child, taken to the Caribbean and served several masters until he purchased his freedom in 1766. He then moved to England and became an advocate against the slave trade. There is also a crater on Mercury named Equiano.

Amadioha; elombah.com

Ewuiano; Wikipedia

The star WASP-64 was named Atakoraka as proposed by Togo. Atakoraka is a local word for the Atacora, the highest mountain range in the country. The highest mountain in the range is Mount Agou. Its local name Agouto was given to Planet WASP-64 b.

Atacora Mountain Range; bookety.com

Cassiopeia

The star HD 17156 was named Nushagak as proposed by the USA. The Nushagak River is a river in southwest Alaska, famous for its wild salmon that sustain local Indigenous communities. Planet HD 17156 b was named Mulchatna after the Mulchatna River, a tributary of the Nushagak River.

Salmon on the Nushagak River Source: oregonlive.com

Centaurus Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) selected two deities from the local Akan mythology. The star WASP-15 was named Nyamien after the supreme creator deity of the Akan religion. Planet WASP-15b was named Asye after the Akan Earth goddess. Picture credits: New Orleans Museum of Art, Smithsonian Institute

Asye

Dofida means "our star" in the language of the people of the Nias Archipelago off the western coast of Sumatra. It was the name chosen by Indonesia for the star HD 117618. Planet HD 117618 b was named Noifasui, coming from the Nian words no, meaning past and present and and ifasui, meaning to revolve around.

Warrior dancer on Nias Island Source: pinterest.com

In the local Pitkern language, spoken by the 40 inhabitants of the Pitcairn Islands in the Pacific Ocean, Uklun means "us." The people of the world's smalles country by population picked that name for the star HD 102117. Leklsullun, meaning Child or children was chosen as the name for planet HD 102117 b.

The children of Pitcairn Island Teaching and Living on Pitcairn Island

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