How to Name a Star

The beautiful thing about the art of romance is that it doesn't have to cost a lot of money. One such romantic idea is to name a star after someone. With a couple of crude scientific instruments, you could be well on your way to having a romantic evening and naming a star. Read on to learn how to name a star.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Telescope

1. Purchase or download a map of a section of the Universe from the Starry Night website or another astronomy store like Sky Maps. When ordering be sure that you are ordering a map from a section of the Universe that can be seen from your hemisphere and by your telescope. The customer service reps will point you in the right direction for your location.
2. Pick out a star in the heavens. Find a star that catches your attention. Most stars are named at least by coordinates, if not by clusters of constellations. These will be found on your map.
3. Locate your star using your telescope. The best way to do this is by triangulation. Find three other bright stars which surround your star. As you locate those, your star will be in the middle.
4. Name your star after your loved one. This is an entirely personal choice. You can literally name it after their name. Or maybe a pet name, something they enjoy, a combination of your names, or anything that is special to you and your romance together. The simple gesture of the work you went through to name the star will be incredibly romantic.
5. Create a kit for your loved one. This should include your star map with their star circled on it and perhaps even a certificate entitling them to naming rights of the star and of course the star's name.
6. Give your loved one their packet and spend a romantic evening gazing at the star you just named. Now that you have the map, the other person can return the favor. Once you have kids, well, you can name a whole cluster of stars after your whole family.

Tips & Warnings

• You can officially name a star after someone using companies like Star Registry or Star Namer. These services will charge you money and in return send you an official gift certificate with your specific star. However, it should be noted that these sites hold no actual value and that whatever you receive is for entertainment purposes only.