Expert: Tom Whiting - 9/4/2009

Question
If I named a star in the lacerta constellation would you be able to see it in san antonio, tx?

Answer
Hi Leslie,
Yes, the area of Lacerta is visible from anywhere in the northern hemisphere.  It's not a
very bright area of sky, and in fact was named just as a "fill in the blanks" region, as
was the constellations (areas) of Lynx, Monoceros, and Camelopardalis.

Actually you (and I) are not allowed to name a star...OR... let me put it this way, you and I
can name any star (or tree or street or town if you wish to)- - BUT the name WE pick will NOT be recognized by the astronomical community. Only the IAU (International Astronomical Union) has the authority and responsibility for naming ANYTHING in our night sky, even craters and features on the Moon and Mars...stars, moons, asteroids, planets,....everything.
{If everyone could 'name' or 'rename' everything, it would be total chaos out there for all us astronomers!} That's why there has to be the standardization delegated to the IAU.  So name (or re-name) anything you want to, but it won't be recognized by anyone else.  (Thus, is it really worth it?) No.
Besides, ALL the stars already have names; if no formal or common or astronomical name, then it's
position in Right Ascension and Declination (the 'latitude and longitude' in the sky)
becomes it's name.  So they, the stars,  are already...ALL named, by definition.  And you, or any other person, or organizaton...won't change that at all. (and I don't care where the lists or charts are kept in storage; in the White House, the Capitol Building, Statue of Liberty,
Smithsonian Institution, the Alamo,  etc...  it still doesn't matter...it's only the IAU designated name, and system, that counts to all astronomers).

Could you imagine the chaos of mapmakers if, by transfer of money, anyone could re-name any
town or street in Texas?  Map makers would be continuously re-drawing maps and charts of
cities and towns and streets all the time...would drive us tourists nuts with a new map or chart of Texas with new names every week! Does the person with the most money get to do all the
real naming of the larger Texas cities?  Let's change Houston to MacMexico and let's change San
Antonio to Saint Al-Nicholas, Texas.  ;-)  Oh, and then someone with more money shows up, and
changes all the Texas named cites again, a week later!!

Well, the night sky is exactly the same way. That's why we, a long time ago, delegated the IAU as the only official "namer of everything" in the sky. Sorry, but You, I, or anyone else... cannot 'name' a star, lunar crater, new moon of Saturn, or anything else in the sky that will be recognized by others.  (No matter how much money you have).
So have a ball...rename the whole sky if you wish, (Re-name all the towns in Texas if you wish).....but no one will pay any attention to....your given "names".  Same for the night sky!
So now you know the rest of the story.
Clear Skies,
Tom Whiting
Erie, PA

PS...the ONLY exception to that rule is a new comet. If you discover a new comet, then it is named after you if you wish...BUT that's with the IAU's permission only; they allow for that one exception.