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Name a star
Two people remembering someone beneath a clear Milky Way
A lasting point of remembrance

Name a Star in Memory of Someone

Create a quiet symbolic dedication with their name, a meaningful date and the coordinates of a real star you can return to in the night sky.

Create a memorial dedication Understand how it works

No urgency or expiry · Review every detail before ordering

Their familiar nameSpelled as you remember it

A real sky positionCoordinates and constellation

A family keepsakeDigital or printed choice

A place to revisitFind it on clear nights

What a memorial star is—and is not

A memorial star is a private commemorative record. A provider associates your chosen dedication with a real star, supplies its astronomical location and creates a certificate or digital record for the family. It can become a focus for remembrance, but it is not legal ownership and does not change the scientific name used by astronomers.

The International Astronomical Union does not sell stars or approve paid personal names. NASA does not run a public memorial-star scheme. A trustworthy service says this plainly and gives you verifiable coordinates rather than implying scientific recognition. Our guide to whether star naming is legitimate explains the distinction in detail.

Two family members placing a framed memorial star map beside a photo album
A simple framed map can become a quiet family keepsake without placing private details on public display.
Take your time

How to create a meaningful memorial star

  1. 1

    Choose the name and date

    Use the name loved ones knew and a date that carries a clear family meaning.

  2. 2

    Write one honest message

    Focus on a quality, phrase or memory that is recognizably theirs.

  3. 3

    Keep the location usable

    Confirm the certificate includes coordinates, constellation and a catalogue identifier.

Choose what feels right

Digital or printed memorial keepsake?

The dedication can be the same. Choose the format based on privacy, timing and how the family will use it.

Digital memorial star certificate
Private and immediate

Digital record

Useful when family members live in different places or prefer to print and frame the documents themselves.

  • Easy to share privately
  • No postal delay
  • Flexible printing
Printed memorial star certificate in a presentation folder
Tangible remembrance

Printed folder

A physical certificate and star map for a memory table, family archive or later anniversary.

  • Ready to hold and display
  • Certificate and map together
  • Suitable for a family presentation

Product imagery and fulfilment are provided by LabelStars . Confirm current contents, production time, delivery and privacy terms on its website.

Choosing memorial wording, dates and privacy

Which name should appear?

A first name, nickname or family name often feels warmer than a formal legal name. If the certificate is a gift for the immediate family, ask someone close to them when you are unsure about spelling, titles or whether a public record is welcome.

Which date should you choose?

A birth date celebrates the whole life; a date of passing marks remembrance; a wedding date or shared milestone can tell a more personal story. None is universally correct. Choose one date, then let the message explain why it matters.

Protect personal information

Assume a searchable registry may be public. Do not include home addresses, private medical details, full dates for living children or anything the family would not want indexed or shared. A dedication can be intimate without being identifying.

Three adult family members sharing a quiet remembrance beneath the Milky Way
A clear evening can turn coordinates on paper into a shared place in the sky.

A simple remembrance under the night sky

You do not need a telescope or a formal ceremony. Pick a clear evening, bring the certificate or coordinates, allow your eyes time to adjust and share one memory each. The star itself may require binoculars, but its place in the constellation can still orient the moment.

Use our guide to finding a star, choose a nearby dark-sky place, or ask an observatory about a public viewing night. If the family would prefer a different tribute, consider a charity donation, tree planting, photo book or support for a local astronomy programme.

Gentle, practical answers

Memorial star FAQ

Yes. A private star-naming service can record a symbolic dedication linked to a real catalogued star. The personal name is commemorative and does not replace the star's official scientific designation.
Digital memorial star packages commonly cost about $10 to $50. Printed folders, frames, gift boxes, brightness choices and delivery can bring the total to around $40 to $100 or more. Confirm the live total before ordering.
Families commonly choose a birth date, date of passing, anniversary or another day connected to a meaningful memory. There is no required choice; use the date that best supports the story you want the dedication to tell.
Keep it specific and sincere. A short line using the person's familiar name and a shared quality or memory usually feels more personal than a generic quotation. Avoid including sensitive information in a publicly searchable record.
They can locate its assigned position when the package includes valid right ascension, declination, constellation and a catalogue identifier. Actual visibility depends on brightness, season, latitude, weather and light pollution.
NASA does not sell, adopt or officially rename stars for private memorials. Commercial memorial star dedications are private symbolic records. Scientific names and designations are handled through astronomical conventions and catalogues.

Sources and further reading

For the full ordering process, see how to name a star after someone. To compare formats and typical prices, visit our star gifts guide and cost guide.

Create a remembrance at your own pace

Review the name, date and message carefully. There is no need to rush a personal memorial.

Create a memorial dedication