‘Station Shiv Shakti’

• The International Astronomical Union (IAU) working group for Planetary System Nomenclature has approved the name ‘Statio Shiv Shakti’ for the landing site of Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander
• This decision follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement on August 26, 2023, where he declared that the landing site would be named ‘Shiva Shakti’.
• The name originates from Indian mythology, symbolizing the masculine (Shiva) and feminine (Shakti) duality of nature.
• Planetary nomenclature is crucial for uniquely identifying features on planetary surfaces.
• The Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature is maintained by the Astrogeology Science Centre of the US Geological Survey on behalf of the IAU.

PREVIOUS NAMES OF CHANDRAYAAN SITES

• Tiranga Point: The PM previously named the Chandrayaan-2 crash site ‘Tiranga Point’
• Jawahar Point: President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam proposed ‘Jawahar Point’ for the Chandrayaan-1 impact probe landing location

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION (IAU):

• The IAU was founded on July 28, 1919, during the Constitutive Assembly held in Brussels, Belgium.
• Its creation was prompted by the need for international collaboration in astronomy, especially after the devastation caused by World War I.
• It aims for promoting and safeguarding astronomy in all its aspects through international cooperation.
• IAU is now headquartered in Paris, France.
• IAU membership spans 92 countries. Out of those countries, 85 are National Members.
• India is represented by the Astronomical Society of India (ASI).