05. When astronomers identify stars, do they give them names? (A K2S Question)

From The Space Library

Jump to: navigation, search

When stars are catalogued, they are given a unique identifier in the catalog but it is usually a number of one form or another like GSC 3018 1509. If a star is known to vary in brightness—so-called variable stars—they will be given a variable star name such as DK Canum Venaticorum.

Answer provided by Dirk Terrell, Ph.D.


Image:K2S logosmall.jpg Question and Answer extracted from the book Kids to Space - by Lonnie Schorer


Buy This Book Click here

Retrieved from "http://www.thespacelibrary.com/mediawiki/index.php/05._When_astronomers_identify_stars%2C_do_they_give_them_names%3F_%28A_K2S_Question%29"