Object name

The reference column of a star table contains the primary identification for the star. The column label, OBJECT, follows the archiving standards. As in the archive, this is a string of up to 32 characters. Shorter strings should be left-justified.

Standard IAU names should be used. Proper names are acceptable for bright stars, as are Bayer and Lacaille letters and Flamsteed numbers used with the constellation abbreviation. HR numbers can be used for bright stars. Telescopic stars should be designated by HD numbers. Stars lacking HD numbers should be named by BD or other DM number. Still fainter stars are identified by HST Guide Star Catalog names, if available. Nicknames like ``Przybylski's star'' should go in the COMMENT column (section ).

In clusters and around variable stars, one often finds field standards or reference stars denoted by letters of the alphabet. Some charts have used both capital and lower-case letters, so it is necessary to be case-sensitive in names. In such crowded areas, it is common practice to use one (or a few) common reference position(s) to measure sky, for the whole group of stars. In this case, the sky position(s) should also be recorded in the star-catalog table file; the only requirement is that the string in the OBJECT column begin with the word SKY (see discussion in section , ``Observational data''.

Very often the observer will use a shortened form or abbreviation at the telescope. However, full names should be used in the star tables, to avoid ambiguity. The correspondence between full and abbreviated names will be resolved by programs only with the interactive consent of the user.