 The only internationally recognized authority for naming celestial bodies is the International Astronomical Union ( IAU ) . A number of private companies sell names of stars , which the British Library calls an unregulated commercial enterprise . The IAU has disassociated itself from this commercial practice , and these names are neither recognized by the IAU nor used by them . One such star @-@ naming company is the International Star Registry , which , during the 1980s , was accused of deceptive practice for making it appear that the assigned name was official . This now @-@ discontinued ISR practice was informally labeled a scam and a fraud , and the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs issued a violation against ISR for engaging in a deceptive trade practice . 
