Can You Really Name a Star After Someone?

A classic individual gift is the certificate of a star that you can dedicate to somebody. I’ve seen quite a lot of competition in the name-a-star business out there on the net so I did some research and figured out that for most services you pay quite a lot for a piece of paper. But still: I believe that it’s the thought of dedicating something unique that makes it a nice gift.

But let’s get the facts straight: Can you really name a star after someone?

It looks like you can, because a lot of stars have had proper names for thousands of years. But to get a better answer it is important to know – who is responsible for naming stars in general? Stars and Planets are named and catalogued by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) whose aim is to promote and safeguard the science of astronomy in all its aspects through international cooperation. According to them only “A few bright stars have ancient, traditional Arabic names, but otherwise stars have just catalogue numbers and positions on the sky.” The organization believe that the beauty of the night sky is not for sale, but is free for all to enjoy. In their authority the IAU is internationally responsible for naming celestial bodies and surface features on them. They don’t sell names, but assign them according to internationally accepted rules.

However, you can find more than a dozen companies offering the service of naming a star – and receiving payment for it. How is this possible? Well it is not officially accepted to name a star, at least it is not recognized by any authorized space organization. On the other hand, since stars are not owned by anyone, it is also not forbidden to name stars. That’s the big difference between for example violating someone else’s copyright or patent status. And that is also the niche for clever marketeers with a foible for romantic gift ideas.

So after all: for all of you that like the idea of a personalized gift and enjoy watching the stars I say: go for it. It is just the question of prize value out there. As you might expect I’m happy to give you my little top-3 websites for naming a star after someone:

• Last Minute present and also a virtual gift: http://www.mystarforever.com/starfield.php?zoom_lvl=2
• Cheapest way to get an official looking like certificate for self-printing: http://www.painterofdreams.com/
• The fanciest way of naming a star: certificate with astronomical coordinates, and a a pendant engraved as a necklace or a keyring. http://www.globalstarregistry.com/

In case naming a star still feels like a big hoax for you, you might check space02.com where you not dedicate a star but a certain place on earth to somebody. You think about a special moment with somebody, find the location where it took place and dedicate this space to a him or her. Three easy steps for a very special gift. It´a 100% non-official ownership of the place – but at least something, you are sure about in the first place.