How to Buy Someone a Star
It sounds romantic, doesn't it? Naming a star after your sweetheart, knowing that people will gaze upon it for eternity. As long as you're aware that official astronomical organizations will never recognize your star's name (and will laugh if you ask), it's your money to burn.
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Instructions
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Be aware that no matter what claims a company makes, the star name you purchase and have registered has absolutely no validity among the scientific community, and will not be recognized by anyone else on the planet. Yes, it may be copyrighted, but you can copyright your grocery list. Sorry.
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Search online for star-naming Web sites, such as International Star Registry (starregistry.com) or Buy-A-Star (buy-a-star.com), pay about $60 to $160 and you'll get a package that includes an official-looking parchment certificate with your star's name on it, a dedication date and telescopic coordinates of the star. But wait--act now and you'll also receive an informative booklet with charts of the constellations, plus a larger, more detailed chart with your star encircled in red.
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Conduct your own star search. Finding your star will probably be impossible without a telescope. Worse, the coordinates given by star-naming companies are often inaccurate. Most people who buy a star never actually see it.
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Save your money. If you really want to name a star after someone, find a nice, twinkling star together (make sure it's not a planet or satellite), plot it on a star chart, name it, and print a certificate on fancy paper. It will be just as valid as the certificate from any commercial star-registry service.
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Tips & Warnings
There is nothing to prevent a star-naming company from selling the same star to different people.
Do not embarrass yourself by asking an astronomer to point the telescope toward your star.
Only the International Astronomical Union can officially name celestial bodies, and it names stars using catalog numbers, not people's names. No private company has ever been given the authority to name stars.
Comments
View all 8 Comments-
aussiedreamer
Nov 12, 2009
He's not very Romantic or Spiritual that's for sure!! -
aussiedreamer
Nov 12, 2009
WOW; I agree; what a wet blanket. Just when I thought I had chosen the perfect Christmas gift for a dying mother; Hesmybaron crushed my spirit with his negativity. This will be her last Christmas and gift from me her daughter; so I wanted it to be a special one.. I was thinking of obtaining a couples star; which I thought would enable my dad to gaze up to her each and every night; knowing they were still together somewhere!? Now I'm not sure if I will go forward with this idea or not??
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hesmybaron
Dec 03, 2008
why so NEGATIVE! it's a beautiful idea...sheesh...
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hesmybaron
Dec 03, 2008
why so NEGATIVE! it's a beautiful idea...sheesh...
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daraelisa
Nov 24, 2007
wow! what a wet blanket. ever heard of "it's the thought that counts"? i've been looking into naming a star for my son's 1st bday. and the web sites basically say the same thing you did. they're not making any claims... something like this is a touching gift from the heart. a romantic gesture. who cares if an astronomer won't recongnize your star name? it's like telling someone that they own your heart. it's not like they're really going to take your heart out and see how much they can trade it in for... so in our hearts (and "an offical-looking parchment") my little blessing will have a piece of the galaxy just for him. forever and ever...
