Planetary Names

Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature

International Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN)

Planetary Names: Feature Name Request

Name Request Form

This form is intended for use by members of the professional science community who have a specific scientific need to name a planetary surface feature. The form covers the parameters needed for single and multiple name requests, and should be sufficient for routine requests. Unusual requests (those that involve new feature types, features on bodies that have no current nomenclature, etc.) should be directed to Tenielle Gaither via email rather than through this form.

* Denotes a required field.

Information About You:
If you are a student, this proposal must be accompanied by a supporting statement from your advisor, verifying the need for the name and the usefulness of the name to the scientific and/or cartographic communities (see IAU Rules and Conventions). Statements can be sent to Tenielle Gaither.
Your Name:*
Your Email:*
Professional Affiliation:*

Information About The Feature To Be Named:

System:*

Target:*

Feature Type:*
Descriptor terms are intended to represent morphological characteristics, not geological origin. The WGPSN does not endorse any specific scientific hypotheses when assigning descriptors.

Location:

Please only use decimal degree formatting (e.g. 13.32)

Lat/Lon

Northernmost Latitude:	°
Southernmost Latitude:	°
Westernmost Longitude:	°
Easternmost Longitude:	°

Center Point:*

Center Latitude:	°
Center Longitude:	°

Positive East or West?:
Please specify what coordinate system you used in the above longitudes.

Feature Size: *
(longest dimension in km)

(km)

Justification:*
Features are named only when they have special scientific interest, and when the naming of such features is useful to the scientific and cartographic communities at large (see IAU Rules and Conventions). Please submit a few words describing why this feature needs to be named. If the name is needed for a paper or map, please supply the name of the journal or map series.

Additional Information:

Images:*
Please attach an image with no annotation, and the same image with the boundary of the feature clearly marked. If the feature is a crater, please place a dot in the center of the crater to identify it. If the image is color, please use RGB, not CMYK.

Maximum total upload size is 3mb. Preferred image format is JPG.

Specific Name Suggestions
If you suggest a specific name, the source, continent, ethnic group, and origin fields below must be completed. Please note that for small Martian craters we are currently using only names of towns from countries that are underrepresented in the nomenclature database.
Suggested Feature Name: You may suggest a specific name for the feature, but there is no guarantee that the name will be approved (see How Names are Approved). The proposed name must fit the established theme for the feature type (see Categories for Naming Features).
Source: Accessible and authoritative sources, including Internet sources, are required for adopted names. Wikipedia is not sufficient as a source, but may be useful for identifying appropriate sources. It is preferable to use a source that is already established in the gazetteer (see drop down menu at right). If you need to enter a source that isn't listed, select "Other" at the bottom of the list and complete the dialog box.	if Other:
Continent: Continent or large geographic area that is the origin of the name (see Abbreviations).
Ethnic/Cultural Group or Country: Country or ethnic group that is the origin of the name (see Abbreviations).
Origin: Short description that includes the dates of birth and death if the name is of a person. Note that a person must be deceased for at least three years before their name can be considered (see IAU Rules and Conventions).