Preprint – May 2023 1 Decolonising Impacts: Establishing Guidelines for Naming Meteorite Craters in Australia Duane W. Hamacher ARC Centre of Excellence in All-Sky Astrophysics (ASTRO-3D) and the School of Physics University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010 Australia Email: duane.hamacher@unimelb.edu.au Abstract 190 meteorite confirmed craters are scattered around the world that have been identified by Western science, including several in Australia, that have long been known by Indigenous peoples. Most craters have been named after local landscape features and regions, people, or other characteristics (such as their appearance). In some cases, this practice has led to some craters bearing offensive names. This paper argues for the establishment of formal guidelines for naming meteorite craters, using Australia as a test case, with hopes the guidelines can be adopted by the rest of the meteoritics community throughout the world. This paper discusses Indigenous names and traditions of meteorite craters, issues with nomenclature, sensitivities to consider, and approaches to establishing guidelines for crater nomenclature. Notice to readers: This article discusses placenames that are considered offensive. Keywords: Nomenclature; Meteorites; Impact Craters, Indigenous Knowledge; Indigenous Languages 1. Introduction Over 190 meteorite impact sites are scattered across the globe, with many more discovered annually. The names assigned to these craters is an important element that is often overlooked or regarded as less important than the scientific information their study can reveal. For many cultures, the names of these structures – whether or not they are known or believed to have formed from the impact of space debris – have vital cultural meanings and importance. They are cultural heritage, with some regarded as important sacred spaces (Giménez-Benítez et al. 2003; Hamacher and Goldsmith 2013). A push by the scientific community to acknowledge Indigenous and traditional names and nomenclature is part of a larger movement to decolonise science and its practices (e.g. Aikenhead and Elliott 2010; Deb Roy 2018; Nhemachena et al. 2020). Australia is home to over 250 distinct Indigenous languages, with over 800 dialectical varieties; but only thirteen are still passed to Aboriginal children today (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2019). About 150 are spoken to various degrees, with