Page "Star" Paragraph 25

Under space law, the only internationally recognized authority for naming celestial bodies is the International Astronomical Union ( IAU ).

A number of private companies sell names of stars, which the British Library calls an unregulated commercial enterprise.

However, the IAU has disassociated itself from this commercial practice, and these names are neither recognized by the IAU nor used by them.

One such star naming company is the International Star Registry, which, during the 1980s, was accused of deceptive practice for making it appear that the assigned name was official.

This now-discontinued ISR practice was informally labeled a scam and a fraud, and the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs issued a violation against ISR for engaging in a deceptive trade practice.