International Astronomical Union

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The International Astronomical Union (IAU) is an international group that brings together the national astronomical groups from around the world. It was created in 1919. It was created to promote and protect the science of astronomy by getting different nations to work together. Its members are professional astronomers from all over the world, and they all work on research and education in astronomy. The IAU has good relationships with groups that include amateur astronomers. "National Members" are usually people with a high level of professional astronomy. There are more than 10,000 active "Individual Members" in 107 countries.[4] It has 62 "National Members".[5]

International Astronomical Union (IAU)
Formation28 July 1919; 106 years ago (28 July 1919)
HeadquartersParis, France
Membership85 national members[1]
12,131 individual members[2]
PresidentDebra Meloy Elmegreen
General SecretaryPiero Benvenuti[3]
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This organization has many working groups like the Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN), which maintains the astronomical naming conventions and planetary nomenclature for planetary bodies, and the Working Group on Star Names (WGSN) for naming stars.

The IAU is also the group in charge of naming objects in space and anything on them such as mountains and craters.

International Astronomical Union Media

References

  1. "National Members". Archived from the original on 2023-08-04. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  2. "Geographical and Gender Distribution of Individual Members". Archived from the original on 2018-08-25. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  3. "International Astronomical Union | IAU". www.iau.org. Retrieved 24 October 2023.[dead link]
  4. "International Astronomical Union | IAU". www.iau.org. Retrieved 2020-06-19.[dead link]
  5. "IAU Secretariat." International Astronomical Union. "Address: IAU - UAI Secretariat 98-bis Blvd Arago F–75014 PARIS FRANCE" and "The IAU Secretariat is located in the Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris, 2nd floor, offices n°270, 271 and 283."

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