Nikawiy and Awasis reunion
An exoplanet and its home star now bear Cree names on
international maps after a Canada-wide contest saw the
labels rise to the top.As part of its 100-year anniversary celebrations, the
International Astronomical Union — the body which gives
oicial names to astronomical objects — asked countries
to participate in exoplanet and star naming contests.Canada’s winning title for its star was Nikawiy, which means
“mother” in the Cree language. he exoplanet was called
“Awasis,” or “child.”University of Alberta associate professor Sharon Morsink
teaches physics and astronomy courses, and she served as the
chair of the Canadian contest. She said the winning names
were proposed by schoolteacher Amanda Green in Edmonton,
Alberta — which is in Treaty 6 territory — and astronomer
Wilfred Buck, who is from Opaskwayak Cree Nation.“It was a fun way to connect with people,” Morsink said,
noting the Canadian Astronomical Society’s role in organiz-
ing the contest. “It was interesting from CAS’s point of view,
in that we don’t normally organize events of this sort.”She said that in Canada, 522 name proposals were received,
and a panel of specialists approved a shortlist. he winner
was then chosen by vote and announced in late 2019.“[Green] came up with the idea of mother and child, which
I think really resonated with people very nicely,” Morsink
said. “he whole idea of the star as the mother and the planet
as the child — it feels good.”She also said the winner had been her top choice, as well,
and she was happy when the people voting agreed.“I think it’s wonderful,” she said. “When I was looking at
these things, I kept on coming back to that suggestion,
and it just seemed so right.”Morsink added Nikawiy is about 320 light years away from
Earth. She noted the star is about four billion years old and
has a temperature and spectrum similar to the Sun’s.Located in the constellation Boötes, NASA states the planet
HD 136418b is a gas giant exoplanet that orbits a K-type or
orange dwarf star. Its discovery was announced in 2009.Contact us for more on our big anniversary at [email protected]
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SKYNEWS • MAR/APR 2020