Page "Variable star designation" Paragraph 12

As with all other categories of astronomical objects the task of assigning names to variable stars is assigned to the International Astronomical Union ( IAU ).

The IAU, in turn, delegates the task to the Sternberg Astronomical Institute in Moscow, Russia.

Sternberg publishes the General Catalog of Variable Stars ( GCVS ), which is periodically ( approximately once every two years ) amended by the publication of a new " Name-List " of variable stars.

For example, in December 2011 the 80th Name-List of Variable Stars, Part II, was released, containing designations for 2161 recently-discovered variable stars ; these brought the total number of variable stars in the GCVS to 45, 678.

Among the newly-designated objects were V0654 Aurigae, V1367 Centauri, and BU Coronae Borealis.