Jawahar Sthal to Shiv Shakti: Here is how Chandrayaan mission Moon landing points are named

ISRO chief K Somnath has also reiterated the importance of naming these landmarks. “The country has every right to name the landing site. The naming of the landing site is not the first incident. Several Indian names are already there on the Moon,” he stated in Thiruvananthapuram, reported Indian Express.

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) plays a crucial role in the naming process of the sites on the Moon. The IAU's Working Groups are responsible for suggesting names for significant features based on the images and maps obtained from space missions. These proposals often come from members of the appropriate IAU groups.

However, the process is not limited to experts alone. As higher-resolution images and maps become available, investigators involved in mapping or describing specific surfaces can suggest names for additional features. Moreover, any individual can propose a specific name for consideration by a Task Group, although there is no guarantee that the name will be accepted.

The Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN) reviews and approves the names proposed by task groups. Following a successful review and vote by WGPSN members, these names are officially considered IAU nomenclature. Once approved, they can be used on maps and in publications and are promptly included in the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature.

The IAU has laid out specific guidelines to ensure the appropriate naming of landing sites and other parts of the Moon. Names should be simple, clear and unambiguous, helping to facilitate understanding of the astronomical object or feature. Political, military or religious connotations are avoided in the naming process. Additionally, if individuals are commemorated on planetary bodies, certain criteria must be met, including a posthumous period of at least three years.

This is not the first time India has named a site on the surface of the Moon linked to its Chandrayaan Mission. India’s first lunar mission Chandrayaan-1 was launched on October 22, 2008, and the Moon Impact Probe crash landed on the lunar surface on November 14. The site where the Moon Impact Probe crash landed was named after the country’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru as ‘Jawahar Sthal’ or ‘Jawahar Point’.