Small gestures, lasting memories
How to name a star, step by step: the symbolic dedication
A star certificate turns a chosen star and your personal words into a gift. At Starry Memory, you receive a two-page A4 PDF with a personalised certificate and observing guide, plus assignment in our private registry after payment and assignment are confirmed. Start by choosing an available star, checking its displayed price and previewing your dedication. The gift is symbolic: it does not transfer ownership of the star or change its scientific name.
A symbolic dedication in our private register.
What comes with your star certificate?
The digital gift contains two A4 PDF pages: your numbered Starry Memory certificate and an observing guide. Personalise it with a chosen star name, the recipient, a date and your message. The document identifies the star with its HIP catalogue reference, coordinates and available astronomical data, so the dedication is connected to an identifiable object in the sky.
After payment is verified and assignment is confirmed, download the PDF through your order confirmation. You can give the file digitally or arrange your own printing. This certificate offer includes no parcel, frame, personalised sky-map poster or automatic email; save both the PDF and your private order link.
Choose an available star and check its current price
Open the Name a Star product page to browse the available catalogue and read each star’s profile. Compare its constellation, astronomical reference and available data before deciding. If finding it outdoors matters to the gift, also consider the recipient’s location, the star’s brightness and when it is above the horizon.
The price shown for the selected star is the commercial price of the certificate service. Check the current amount and the order total on the product page before paying. Availability is checked during the ordering process. Selecting a star or creating a preview does not assign it, and a temporary checkout reservation is not a completed assignment.
Preview the PDF and personalise the words
Open the sample PDF to see the certificate and guide, then use the product page’s personalisation preview to check your own chosen name, recipient, date and message. Review the spelling and design before continuing to payment. The preview is a way to check the gift; the final numbered PDF and private registry assignment follow confirmed payment and assignment.
The chosen star name, recipient and message are separate fields. Publication of the star name is off by default. If you choose to publish that name, the recipient and personal message remain private. Select words you are happy for the recipient to keep, and only publish a star name you are comfortable sharing.
Use your private order link to find the star by phone
Keep the private order link shown after payment. Open it on your phone and select “Find my star in the sky” to access guidance for the star on your certificate. The free demonstration uses an example star; the order link is how you return to your assigned star.
The 3D guidance uses compatible phone orientation sensors to help locate the star’s direction for your location and the current time. Sensor accuracy, weather, light pollution and the star’s brightness all affect the experience. If the star is below the horizon, check the next calculated observing window when one exists. The camera is optional, and seeing the star with the naked eye is not guaranteed.
What the private dedication means in astronomy
Your gift name and certificate have meaning within the private Starry Memory registry. They do not confer ownership of the celestial body or an official astronomical name. The star keeps its scientific designation, and Starry Memory is not affiliated with the International Astronomical Union (IAU). Any commitment to one assignment applies only to this private catalogue, not to other sellers or scientific records.
That distinction leaves room for a personal gift: your certificate carries the words and date you chose, while the catalogue reference and guide invite the recipient to learn about the real star. If you would rather capture the whole sky of a particular date and place, a personalised sky-map poster is a separate option.
Words to make your own
This star keeps its scientific designation; the certificate carries the words I wanted to share with you.
A symbol for our story, with a real catalogue reference to help us keep exploring the sky.
Before preparing your gift
- Identify precisely the document and service purchased.
- Check that the private name is not presented as official.
- Read the exact scope of any announced exclusivity.
- Check price, format, confidentiality and file access.