The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has announced a contest to name extrasolar planetary systems to be observed by the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope. The contest, NameExoWorlds 2022, seeks to bring together both professional astronomers and the wider public, giving them the opportunity to name 20 selected exoplanets along with their host stars (ExoWorlds).
The NameExoWorlds 2022 competition offers the opportunity to name 20 exoplanets and their host stars. Image credit: IAU OAO / NARIT.
“It is exciting to have a new NameExoWorlds competition underway to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach (OAO),” said IAU President Dr. Debra Elmegreen.
“Their work over the past decade has had a global impact, and this competition is yet another way to bring people together through astronomy.”
“In the last decade, the OAO has strived to build bridges between professionals, amateurs, communicators, educators, and the public,” added OAO director Lina Canas.
“Through its collaborative nature and diverse levels of scientific engagement, NameExoWorlds is one excellent example that embodies OAO’s mission of making astronomy accessible to all.”
In 2015, the first NameExoWorlds competition named 19 ExoWorlds (14 stars and 31 exoplanets orbiting them), with over half a million votes from 182 countries and territories.
Four years later, the second NameExoWorlds contest offered every country the chance to name one planetary system, comprising an exoplanet and its host star.
As part of that contest, 112 countries organized national campaigns that involved the direct participation of over 780,000 people worldwide.
The systems to be named by the NameExoWorlds 2022 competition are of special interest, as they are among the first exoplanet targets of the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope.
The exoplanets have been discovered through a mix of techniques, mostly via the transit method and direct imaging.
These extrasolar planetary systems are among some of the first targets of the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope. Image credit: IAU OAO / NARIT / M. Tangmatithan.
How can you participate?
(i) create a team that brings together students and teachers, astronomy enthusiasts, amateur astronomers, and professional astronomers;
(ii) conduct an astronomy outreach event related to exoplanets;
(iii) choose a system from the 20 ExoWorlds on the list:
– Gliese 1214 / Gliese 1214b;
– Gliese 3470 / Gliese 3470b;
– Gliese 367 / Gliese 367b;
– Gliese 436 / Gliese 436b;
– HAT-P-12 / HAT-P-12b;
– HAT-P-26 / HAT-P-26b;
– HATS-72 / HATS-72b;
– HD 95086 / HD 95086b;
– HIP 65426 / HIP 65426b;
– L 168-9 / TOI-134 / L 168-9b / TOI-134b;
– LHS 3844 / TOI-136 / LHS 3844b / TOI-136b;
– LTT 9779 / TOI-193 / LTT 9779b / TOI-193b;
– WASP-121 / WASP-121b;
– WASP-166 / WASP-166b;
– WASP-19 / WASP-19b;
– WASP-43 / WASP-43b;
– WASP-63 / WASP-63b;
– WASP-69 / WASP-69b;
– WD 0806-661 / WD 0806-661B;
– Wolf 437 / Gliese 486 / TOI-1827 / Wolf 437b / Gliese 486b / TOI-1827b.
(iv) propose a name for the exoplanet and its host star in your language and provide an explanation of the cultural context;
(v) register your team and submit your naming proposal (written format + video) (via this form);
The proposals will go through a two-step process of selection.
First, a national selection panel led by the National Outreach Coordinators will select a national candidate and two backup names.
Then a final selection committee will consider the candidates proposed by each country and select a name for each ExoWorld.
The names will be selected based on the description and meaning behind them and the outreach activities held by each team.
Finally, the 20 ExoWorlds will be announced, and the associated names will be recognized by the IAU as the official public names of these ExoWorlds.
Source link: https://www.sci.news/astronomy/nameexoworlds-2022-11100.html
