IAU Division III

Terms of Reference

These terms of reference for the CSBN were approved by the IAU Executive Committee on 15 February 2000.

1. The IAU Committee on Small Body Nomenclature is appointed by IAU Division III under similar procedures as Divisional Working Groups (IAU Working Rules 38). It reports to the General Assembly through the President of Division III. For necessary meetings, the Committee is eligible for travel support from the IAU.

2. The membership of the Committee includes:

• a minimum of 9 members of IAU Division III, representing a diversity of geographical and cultural backgrounds.
• the President of Division III. The president may delegate the divisional representation to another Division member.
• the Director of the IAU Minor Planet Center, who will also serve as Secretary of the committee.
• the President of the IAU Working Group on Planetary System Nomenclature or his/her representative.
• additional members up to a maximum of 15, including a maximum of 3 consultants who possess special expertise but are not IAU members.
• a member may be in more than one of the above categories.

3. Appointment and Terms of Service. The members, including the Chairperson, will be appointed for three years at each General Assembly by Division III, upon the advice of the outgoing Committee. Continuity in the work of the Committee is important, so members are encouraged to serve through several triennia.

4. Names and Guidelines

• The Committee will develop, maintain, and publish guidelines for naming minor planets and comets, based on the established guidelines. Significant changes in the guidelines should be submitted by the Committee to Division III for discussion and approval at a General Assembly before being put into effect. Minor changes may be approved by the Division President and reported at the General Assembly.
• The Committee will periodically approve lists of newly named bodies, with accompanying citations in the case of Minor Planets. Such lists will be promptly made public by the Minor Planet Center.
• At the beginning of the year of each General Assembly, the Committee will submit to the IAU General Secretary, through the Division, a list of all names approved in the immediately preceding three calendar years. In the IAU Information Bulletin for January of that year, IAU members will be invited to inspect this list. Any objections based on significant, substantive problems with these names must be forwarded in writing to the President of Division III at least three months prior to the start of the General Assembly. Valid reasons do not include personal preferences of the discoverers or other individuals.
• Any appeals of decisions by the committee will be considered by Division III at the following General Assembly. The Division will submit a report to the General Assembly, indicating the absence or resolution of any appeals. This report and the list of new names as possibly amended will be published in the Proceedings of the General Assembly (or may be cited there if a suitable external reference is available).

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