Naming a star is one of the most popular symbolic gifts in the world. Millions of people have done it - and yet very few can explain what actually happens when they do. Does your name go into a scientific database? Is it "official"? Can you point a telescope at it afterwards? This guide answers every one of those questions honestly, with sources you can check yourself.
- When you name a star you create a permanent, unique dedication tied to a real star's true celestial coordinates - a certificate, a sky map, and a registration number.
- No commercial name is an "official" scientific name. The only body that formally names stars is the International Astronomical Union (IAU), and it does not sell that service to the public.
- A good registry guarantees your name is unique within its catalogue and gives you the coordinates (RA/Dec) and a catalogue ID so you can actually find the star.
- The star itself is genuinely up there. The gesture is real; the science on your certificate (coordinates, catalogue number) is real too.
What you are really buying
When you name a star through a register, you are creating a permanent, unique entry in a commemorative catalogue. That entry ties a name you choose to a genuine, catalogued star with real celestial coordinates. In return you receive:
- A certificate bearing the chosen name, the star's coordinates and its catalogue number;
- A personalised sky map or chart showing where the star sits;
- A registration number you can use to look the dedication up forever;
- The tools to find the star in the real sky (see our complete finding guide).
What you are not buying is legal ownership of a ball of plasma trillions of kilometres away, nor an official scientific designation. We will come back to that honestly below - because the honest version is more meaningful, not less.
"The naming of stars is generally left to the International Astronomical Union… Some commercial enterprises purport to offer such services for a fee. However, such names have no formal or official validity whatsoever."
- International Astronomical Union, official statement on buying star names
The registration process, step by step
Every reputable registry works in broadly the same way. Here is what happens from the moment you decide to dedicate a star to the moment the certificate lands in your inbox.
- Choose a star. You pick a constellation (often one meaningful to the recipient - see our seasonal constellation guide) and the registry assigns a real, catalogued star within it.
- Choose the name and dedication. A person's name, a nickname, a date rendered as a phrase - whatever carries the meaning.
- The name is checked for uniqueness against every existing entry in the register (details below).
- The record is created - name, coordinates, catalogue ID and registration number are locked together.
- Your certificate and sky map are generated and delivered, usually as a digital download within minutes and, if ordered, a printed pack by post.
How long does it take? The digital certificate typically arrives within about five minutes of ordering, which is why star naming is a genuine last-minute gift. Printed and framed editions ship separately.
What it typically costs
Prices vary by registry and by how much physical product is included. As a rough guide:
| Package type | Usually includes | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Digital only | PDF certificate + sky map + registration number | £15–£30 |
| Printed | Printed certificate on quality stock, posted | £30–£60 |
| Framed / gift set | Framed certificate, map, sometimes a booklet | £50–£120 |
| Binary / twin star | Two linked stars for couples (see double stars explained) | £40–£90 |
Prices are indicative for 2026 and differ between providers. Compare the honest breakdown at our partners StarRegistration.net and LabelStars.com.
How a registry keeps every name unique
Uniqueness is the whole point of a register - your dedication should belong to exactly one point of sky. Before a registration is confirmed, the chosen name is checked against every existing entry in the catalogue.
- If someone already dedicated a star as "Amelia's Light", the next request for that exact phrase is declined or must be varied.
- The star's coordinates are also unique: each dedication points to a distinct, catalogued object, so two people cannot be sold the same physical star.
- The pairing of name + coordinates + registration number is what makes the record permanent and verifiable.
Is it "official"? The honest answer
This is the question that matters most, so here is the straight version.
What the IAU actually does
The International Astronomical Union is the body professional astronomers recognise for naming celestial objects. Its Working Group on Star Names (WGSN) has approved proper names for only a few hundred stars - the historically and culturally important ones such as Sirius, Vega, Betelgeuse and Rigel. The IAU does not sell names and does not offer a public naming service, and never has.
What NASA does - and doesn't - do
NASA is a space agency, not a naming authority. It explores space; it does not run a registry of star names and cannot make your dedication "official". Anyone claiming a star name is "registered with NASA" is not being straight with you. We wrote a full explainer on this: what NASA does - and doesn't - do with star names.
Where private registers honestly fit
A private star register is a commemorative catalogue. It records the name you choose against a real star, guarantees that name is unique within the register, and hands you the tools to find the star. It is symbolic - and a good registry says so plainly. The star is real, the coordinates are real, the gesture is real. The "official government name" that some sellers imply simply does not exist for anyone.
Red flag to avoid: any seller who claims the name will be "copyrighted by the US government", "recognised by NASA", or "in the official star catalogue used by astronomers". None of that is true of any commercial registry. Honesty is the mark of a good one.
What is on your certificate
A well-made certificate carries genuine astronomical data, not just a pretty name. Here is how to read it:
| On the certificate | What it means |
|---|---|
| Star name | The dedication you chose - unique within the register. |
| RA (Right Ascension) | The sky's "longitude", in hours/minutes/seconds - how far along the sky the star sits. |
| Dec (Declination) | The sky's "latitude", in degrees - how far up the star sits. |
| Catalogue ID (e.g. HIP) | A real science-catalogue number you can verify - the most useful line on the page. |
| Constellation | The region of sky to look in - your rough starting point by eye. |
| Registration number | Your unique record ID in the register. |
Those coordinates are the same J2000 format every telescope and stargazing app understands, which is exactly why you can find the star later. For a digit-by-digit walkthrough, see how coordinates work.
Finding your star afterwards
A dedication you can't locate would be a poor gift, so finding the star is the fun part. In short:
- Use the app. Enter your registration number (or the catalogue number) into a free stargazing app and follow the on-screen arrow. Our step-by-step walkthrough is here: finding your star with the Night Sky app.
- Orient by eye. Learn a couple of star hops to reach the right region of sky - start with the best constellations to spot.
- See it through a telescope. Many named stars are faint, so binoculars or a telescope help. No telescope? Find an observatory near you and ask staff to slew to your coordinates.
The full method - from certificate to eyepiece - lives in our pillar guide: How to Find a Star in the Night Sky.
How to choose a good registry
Not all registers are equal. Use this checklist before you buy:
| Look for | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Real coordinates & a catalogue ID on the certificate | Proves it points to a genuine, findable star - not just decorative text. |
| A clear uniqueness guarantee | Your name should belong to one star only. |
| Honest wording about "official" status | A trustworthy seller never claims NASA/IAU endorsement. |
| A way to look up your registration later | Permanence is the point of a register. |
| Tools or guidance to find the star | An app, coordinates and a chart turn the gift into an experience. |
Our partners set a good benchmark here - see how LabelStars explains where to buy a star and StarRegistration.net's transparent packages.
Frequently asked questions
Do I own the star when I name it?
No. No one can own a star; there is no legal mechanism to buy or sell one. What you own is the dedication - a unique, permanent record in the register that ties your chosen name to that star's coordinates.
Is the name recognised by NASA or the IAU?
No. NASA does not name stars, and the IAU's official names cover only a few hundred stars through a formal scientific process - it does not offer this to the public. Commercial star naming is symbolic. See our full explainer.
Can two people name the same star?
Within a single reputable register, no - each star's coordinates are assigned once, and each name is checked for uniqueness. Different registries are separate catalogues, however, so a given physical star could carry different dedications in different private registers.
Will the name last forever?
It lasts as long as the register maintains its records. Established registries keep permanent databases and let you look your dedication up by registration number at any time.
Can I actually see the star I named?
You can always find the exact spot using the coordinates and a free app. Whether you can see the star with the naked eye depends on its brightness - many named stars are faint (magnitude 8–14) and need binoculars or a telescope. Full detail in the finding guide.
What is a HIP number?
It is a star's entry in the Hipparcos Catalogue, produced by the European Space Agency and published in 1997 with 118,218 stars. It is a real, permanent scientific identifier - you can look it up free on SIMBAD and type it into planetarium apps.
Sources & further reading
The claims in this guide are drawn from primary sources you can check yourself:
- International Astronomical Union - Buying Star Names and the Working Group on Star Names.
- European Space Agency - the Hipparcos Catalogue (118,218 stars, 1997).
- CDS Strasbourg - the SIMBAD astronomical database for verifying any catalogue ID.
- Richard Hinckley Allen, Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning (Dover, 1963) - the classic reference on how stars got their historical names.
- Ian Ridpath (ed.), Norton's Star Atlas and Reference Handbook - a standard amateur reference.
Partner reading: Can you name a star with the IAU? (LabelStars) and A Beginner's Guide to Stargazing (StarRegistration.net).
Ready to make a star your own? Name a real, visible star and you'll receive its exact coordinates and catalogue details - everything you need to find it in the night sky. Prefer to browse first? Explore the star catalogue.