Skip to content
AsteriaStar
Historical event · 1919 CE

Founding of the International Astronomical Union

History of Astronomy

What happened

The International Astronomical Union was founded in 1919 to coordinate astronomy worldwide. It is the authority that defines constellation boundaries, names celestial bodies and surface features, and — in 2006 — set the definition of a planet.

Knowledge connections

Sources & references

The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.

  • IAUInternational Astronomical Union

    Official naming, definitions, constellation boundaries, and astronomical nomenclature.