How To Buy Your Own Star [VERIFIED]

Because these registries are private, different companies could "sell" the same star to multiple people.

The idea of "buying a star" is a popular gift gesture, but it is important to understand that No private company has the authority to rename a star; that power belongs exclusively to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), which uses coordinates and catalog numbers rather than names. how to buy your own star

If you simply want to find a star to dedicate to someone without the paperwork, you can use free tools like Stellarium or Google Sky to pick a coordinate and "claim" it in your own heart. Access to an to help you locate the star in the night sky

Access to an to help you locate the star in the night sky. Important Realities How to "Register" a Star

Once purchased, you will typically receive: A Certificate of Registration with the new star name.

When you "buy" a star, you are essentially paying a private company to enter a name into their own proprietary registry and send you a gift kit. How to "Register" a Star