The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has issued a warning to the general public to be aware of scam sites that offer people the rights to name a planet.
For people who wished to name a planet after their loved ones, their wish almost came true when a site named Uwingu offered people rights to name a planet. Every so often, an exoplanet is discovered and scientists give them names that are weird and not so attractive. Hence, this new site was offering the public a deal wherein they could suggest a name for one of these exoplanets for $4.99 only and could nominate one of the already suggested names for $0.99.
However, The International Astronomical Union (IAU) issued a warning against this site stating that it is a scam and it is the only body authorized to give exoplanets their official names, despite recent naming initiatives by companies like Uwingu.
"Recently, an organization has invited the public to purchase both nomination proposals for exoplanets, and rights to vote for the suggested names. In return, the purchaser receives a certificate commemorating the validity and credibility of the nomination," said IAU in a statement to the press. "Such certificates are misleading, as these campaigns have no bearing on the official naming process - they will not lead to an officially-recognized exoplanet name, despite the price paid or the number of votes accrued."
The warning was not applicable only to sites that offer naming a planet but IAU also warned people to stay away from organizations and companies that offer deals like owing or naming a star, or offering real estate on the moon.
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