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Name A Star!
a symbolic
gift that's truly out of this world!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What are constellations?
Star names
– how do they arise?
Star Catalogues
Will my star
name be officially recognised?
Will I be
able to see the star that I have named?
Will I be
able to see the constellation?
Are stars
named more than once in your register?
Can the star
I've named be named in another company's register?
Can I buy
a star?
What are constellations?
Astronomers divided the sky into areas, as perceived from
the earth, so as to create a consistent spherical map, rather
like the markings on a football. In this way, 88 areas or
constellations were formed.
Star names – how do
they arise?
Only a handful of stars bear names, arising
from Arabic, Greek and Roman mythology. The vast majority
of stars are referred to only by their astronomical co-ordinates
or catalogue numbers – they are unnamed and there are
millions and millions of them.
Star Catalogues
Over the centuries, astronomers have devised
various different star catalogues/listings. They refer to
stars by numbers or co-ordinates. The Universal Star Listing
is a register that refers to stars by name – your chosen
name – and is thus personal rather than scientific.
Will my star name be officially
recognised?
Naming a star is a symbolic rather than scientific
gift. Our register would never be used by the scientific community
although it is a perfectly valid register. Scientists refer
to stars only by their astronomical co-ordinates or catalogue
number. Referring to and listing stars by name – the
name you choose – we have created a symbolic and personal
rather than astronomically significant listing.
Will I be able to see the
star that I have named?
Only a handful of stars are visible to the
naked eye. Our register only refers to stars that are outside
naked eye visibility. Therefore, to view the star you will
need a pair of binoculars or a telescope. In most cases, a
telescope is required.
Will I be able to see the
constellation?
You should be able to spot the constellation
with the naked eye. Clearly, some constellations are easier
to spot than others. How often and for how long each year
the constellation is visible, will depend upon
- 1). the constellation's location in the
universe and
- 2). from where in the world you are star-gazing.
Are stars named more than
once in your register?
A star is only named once in our register.
The name that you have chosen will be published in our register
and continue to be published in all future re-prints.
Can the star I've named
be named in another company's register?
No-one (or everyone) owns the stars - choose
your viewpoint. There are over a hundred different scientific
registers that catalogue stars. Each refers to stars independently.
A non-scientific register of star names is no different. We
produce our symbolic register independently and do not co-ordinate
or interact with another company's register. Even though there
are millions of stars, a star in our register could be referred
to by another name in another company's register.
Can I buy a star?
This is not really an FAQ, but we include
this question for completeness! Clearly, you cannot buy a
star. The stars belong to all of us or none of us, whichever
you prefer, and they are not for sale. Naming a star is a
symbolic gift idea which obviously does not involve any legal
title / ownership.
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