Naming of Celestial Objects Terms of Service

Naming of Celestial Objects through Windowpane Observatory (WPO) registers the object in our archive. The official catalog numbers are not changed nor substituted for the WPO registration. Although generic names that are not astronomical catalog numbers are listed for certain catalogued objects, e.g. Andromeda Galaxy for NGC 224 in encyclopedias and internet search engines, it does not mean that a generic name is the "official name" even if it appears in scholarly texts. So although an object named in our registry may come to be known by that name on the internet due to popular use, appearing in search engines, etc. it is not a replacement for the official catalog numbers of that object in various astronomical catalogues from the past or present. If a certificate is issued in addition to the archival registration, the certificate date chosen by the registrant is personal and has no scientific bearing.

Naming Celestial objects at Windowpane Observatory is designed to contribute to science education at wpo.net and to bring the general public into appreciation of science and astronomy by personalizing the experience through naming. Registrants as contributors are also afforded priority when they have an astronomical question they would like answered. Naming celestial objects is a fun way for humans to relate to the cosmos and to honor someone or something they appreciate. Stars and constellations have been named by humans for thousands of years before the invention of the telescope.

Please read what it means to register a galaxy.