Thai names chosen for stars

BANGKOK, December 16 (TNA) - The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has announced the result of a vote of the name for the 47 Ursae Majoris Star, in which a Thai name, Chalawan, has received the highest vote. IAU has announced the result of the NameExoWorlds Contest under the Planet Hunters Project, in which the general public and organisations were earlier invited to participate by submitting their nominations of stars in 20 systems. The Thai Astronomical Society (TAC) participated in the international contest by submitting the "Chalawan" name for the 47 Ursae Majoris or Big Bear Star, together with its nominations of two natural satellites 47 Ursae Majoris b and c, Taphao Thong and Taphoa Kaew, respectively. IAU has later reported that the "Chalawan" name received the highest vote of 4,464 and it has, thus, been used as the common name of the Big Bear or 47 Ursae Majoris Star in an immediate effect, while its two natural satellites have also been commonly named Taphao Thong and Taphao Kaew, as nominated by TAC. TAC President Prapee Viraporn said it is the first time for Thailand and the world that a fixed star which can be seen by naked eyes and planets have their common names, to be officially called worldwide, in Thai, reflecting a remarkable progress of the Thai astronomy with internationally-recognition. Besides, Thailand's winning the votes should help promote and stimulate more interest in astronomy and science among Thai youths. The Big Bear or Chalawan Star, which is seen with naked eyes during this time of the year from 2am to dawns, is a fixed star out of the Solar System with its mass close to the Sun and its brightness magnitude at level 5. The Chalawan Star is about 46 light years or 434 million kilometres far from the Earth. Taphao Thong is, meanwhile, a large gas planet with a mass 804 times higher than the Earth, while Taphao Kaew has a mass 171 times larger than the Earth, or half of Jupiter. (TNA)