New Delhi: The International Astronomical Union (IAU) recently approved the name ‘Shiva Shakti’ for Chandrayaan-3’s landing site. The name was endorsed by the IAU’s Planetary System Nomenclature working group, as mentioned in the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature.
In the Gazetteer, the citation of the name reads, “Compound word from Indian mythology that depicts the masculine (“Shiva”) and feminine (“Shakti”) duality of nature; Landing site of Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander.”
The name comes from Indian mythology, representing the balance of masculine (Shiva) and feminine (Shakti) aspects of nature. Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier announced the name, calling the location “Shiv Shakti Point” during his address at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on August 28, 2023.
Furthermore, during his address, PM Modi also revealed intentions to name the Chandrayaan-2 landing failure site as “Tiranga Point” and to mark August 23 as “National Space Day”. He stressed the importance of ‘Shiv Shakti Point’ as a unifying symbol for India and said, “The Shiv Shakti Point will inspire future generations in the direction of the use of science for the welfare of humanity.”
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