KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 — Malaysian school children will get to use their imagination to name a star and an exoplanet as part of the 100th anniversary celebration of the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

Open to primary and secondary school students, Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister Yeo Bee Yin said it would be an opportunity for them to expand their knowledge of science.

"We hope that students in Malaysia will not miss the opportunity to propose a Malaysian name for an exoplanet located beyond our solar system, " she said at an event at the National Planetarium here today.

Expected to run from July 1 until August 30, the contest is organised by the planetarium in partnership with a non-governmental organisation, ApaDilangit.

It was reported that many countries are already organising national campaigns to get members of the public to contribute ideas and vote for names to submit for the IAU100 NameExoWorlds project.

The initiative sees Malaysia being assigned an exoplanet and the star it orbits to name. — Bernama