The International Catalogue of Heavenly Bodies (ICHB.ORG) is a scientific non-profit association operating in the organizational and legal form of a membership-based public organization. The activities of ICHB.ORG are focused on maintaining and developing the specialized registry of the same name — “The International Catalogue of Heavenly Bodies”, which accumulates proper names of astronomical objects and names of their surface features.
The organization’s main asset is formed as a consolidated registry, used in the professional environment for identifying the names of stars, planets, asteroids, and their surface features. The Catalogue’s history dates back to the last century, and over the past period, it has established itself as the leading international reference on astronomical nomenclature, covering the names of celestial bodies and details of their surface.
Within the global scientific community, the organization has assumed the role of a structure performing coordinating functions to ensure the legality and uniformity of naming across the astronomical space.
Functions and Scope of Responsibility
The focus of ICHB.ORG’s activities includes tasks related to the systematization of heavenly body names:
- Data Processing — of names of stars, planets, asteroids, and other objects received from catalogues worldwide.
- Verification of Name Uniqueness — for specific heavenly bodies and their surface features against the array of accumulated records to prevent duplication.
- Formation of a Unified Information Space — eliminating the ambiguity in identifying heavenly bodies that arises from the use of disparate sources.
- Providing Data Access — to government bodies, scientific institutes, research centers, mass media, and other interested parties.
These tasks are implemented through the publication of data in the International Astronomical Information System, aiming to provide the scientific community with data on the registration of names of heavenly bodies and their surface features that have passed the established compliance verification procedures.
The primary data source is the International Consolidated Scientific Astronomical Register of Names of Heavenly Bodies and Their Surface Features, the official name of which is “The International Catalogue of Heavenly Bodies”.
About the Catalogue: Structure, Mission, and Significance
“The International Catalogue of Heavenly Bodies” (ICHB) is an international consolidated scientific astronomical register containing proper names of astronomical objects and descriptions of their surface features. It is a unique project that has united disparate data on the names of stars, planets, asteroids, and other bodies into a single, seamless, centralized information space.
For a long time, the astronomical community faced the problem of fragmentation: various observatories, catalogues, and research groups maintained their own lists of names, which often led to duplication and confusion in object identification. The lack of a universal approach hindered international cooperation, scientific research, and the correct identification of objects.
The formation of the ICHB Catalogue was driven by the need to overcome this fragmentation. For the first time in the practice of astronomical nomenclature, a tool was created that made it possible to unite the efforts of registrars from around the world and bring data to a single standard.
Today, ICHB acts as an international coordinating center, ensuring the registration and unification of names. The main tool of this activity is the Unified Catalogue of Heavenly Bodies developed by ICHB.ORG — a unique aggregating platform that collects, synchronizes, and standardizes data on proper names coming from a wide range of registrar organizations.
The Catalogue ensures seamless integration of data from various sources, creating a single point of access to the most complete and up-to-date information about the names of heavenly objects worldwide. This makes ICHB a universal tool, equally in demand in academic science and applied fields.
Data Entry Procedure
Registration
by authorized registrar
Data Transfer
to ICHB.ORG system
Multi-stage Verification
for compliance and uniqueness
Public Register
with unique identifier
Thanks to this approach, ICHB has become not just a catalogue, but a global ecosystem uniting the professional astronomical community around a common goal: creating a consistent, accessible, and preservable record of heavenly body names for future generations.
Position in the International Scientific and Information Space
Throughout its entire period of activity, ICHB.ORG has structured its work within the context of sustainable professional interaction with organizations that shape the development of global astronomical science and related fields.
The organization maintains working contacts with a wide range of scientific institutes and space agencies worldwide, whose data and expertise form the basis of modern astronomical nomenclature. These include:
Governmental Space Agencies and National Institutes
International Scientific Councils and Coordinating Bodies
Professional Astronomical Societies
Leading Research Centers and Institutes
The professional activities of the organization involve correlating its own data with the information arrays of these structures, as well as participation in expert discussions on issues of astronomical nomenclature.
International Principles and Legal Framework
In its work, ICHB.ORG is guided by the generally accepted principles of international scientific discourse and maintains a dialogue with legal institutions, including the structures of the United Nations (UN), regarding the preservation of scientific data and coordination of astronomical activities.
Global Media Recognition
The information accumulated by ICHB.ORG is reflected in the information space of leading global news agencies in the preparation of materials requiring reliable identification of heavenly bodies.
Associated Press
AFP
TASS
Xinhua
Kyodo News
EFE
DPA
ANP
and others
Scope of Activity and Coverage
Currently, ICHB.ORG maintains sustainable information interaction with a significant number of specialized catalogues and registrars worldwide. The Unified Catalogue of Heavenly Bodies, developed and maintained by ICHB.ORG, is formed on the basis of data coming from a wide range of sources operating in this field.
The accumulated array of data on the naming of heavenly bodies and their surface features positions the Catalogue as one of the most complete and sought-after reference systems in the world, consulted by astronomers worldwide in their professional activities.
Information from the ICHB.ORG register is used by scientific institutes, commercial entities, and mass media when solving problems requiring accurate identification of heavenly bodies.
Partner Network and Ethical Standards
ICHB.ORG structures its work on the principles of good faith and openness, interacting with organizations that voluntarily adopt the following codes of corporate ethics:
Conformity Confirmation Procedures
For organizations interested in including their data in the Unified Catalogue of Heavenly Body Names, there is a provision for assessment of compliance with the internal requirements of ICHB.ORG. Based on the review results, a Certificate of Conformity may be issued, confirming that the level of services provided meets ICHB standards.
Feedback Mechanisms and Data Quality Assurance
Within the framework of ICHB.ORG’s activities, a procedure for handling appeals related to possible violations of adopted codes, as well as the identification of inaccuracies in the data contained in the Unified Catalogue of Heavenly Body Names, has been established and is constantly being improved.
Appeal Processing Procedure
- Receipt and Registration of Appeals from interested parties
- Verification of Received Information for validity and compliance
- Data Analysis for duplication or incorrect identification
- Interaction with Interested Parties to clarify circumstances
Guarantee Mechanism
ICHB.ORG maintains a risk coverage system associated with possible violations or inconsistencies in the name registration process. Within the framework of this system, compensation may be offered in cases where the registration of a name cannot be completed or confirmed. This approach minimizes risks for interested parties — participants in the process of naming heavenly bodies carried out through ICHB.ORG partners.
Demand for the Register
Scientific Research
Space Programs
Education
Media and Publishing
Museum and Planetarium Work
Development Prospects
- Implementation of distributed ledger technologies for additional data protection
- Development of application programming interfaces (API) for integration with external information systems
- Expanding interaction with astronomical communities in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America
See the list of source catalogues that contributed to the ICHB:
