Nachtwacht and Sterrennacht are the newly named Dutch planet and star

Nachtwacht (night watch) and Sterrennacht (starry night) are the names given by the Netherlands to a planet and a star, which currently go by the monikers HAT-P-6b and HAT-P-6.

The competition to name a new batch of stars and planets is part of the International Astronomy Union’s centenary celebrations. In total, 115 different countries have been allowed to name a planet, which is part of an initiative to ‘create awareness of our place in the universe’.

The Dutch planet, more than 910 light years away, was discovered in 2007 and is part of the constellation of Andromeda, orbiting the star HAT-P-6.

Other suggestions from the public which made the shortlist were Brandaris/Vuurduin, after lighthouses, Cruquius/Leeghwater after water engingeers, Nijntje/Moederpluis after the Dick Bruna characters and Exomma/Hurstrga after Batavian goddesses.

As expected, Nijntje and Moederpluis won the public vote in the Netherlands, but were rejected by the IAU because they are copyrighted and so don’t meet the competition rules.

There are already two asteroids named after Dutchmen – Andrekuipers after the astronaut and Benferinga after the chemist and Nobel Prize winner.