Buying a star · what to know first
Is buying a star real, or a scam? The honest answer
In short: no, nobody can buy a star or give it an official name. Only the International Astronomical Union (IAU) names stars, and it sells none.
Symbolic dedication in the private Starry Memory registry · from €8.91 · PDF to download as soon as you pay.
Giving a star: how it works
A real star, its personalised PDF certificate and a QR code to find it in the sky.
Yes, you can give a symbolic dedication: a name you choose, recorded in a website’s private registry, with a certificate and a real star you can find in the sky. It is only a scam when the site makes you believe anything more. Here is how to tell the difference in a few minutes.
What the International Astronomical Union says
The IAU is the body that names stars, planets and craters. It states publicly that it does not sell star names and that a name bought from a commercial website has no official value: astronomers will never use it.
Stars have scientific designations, such as a number in the Hipparcos catalogue (HIP); only a few hundred carry a proper name approved by the IAU, like Vega or Betelgeuse. Neither NASA nor the European Space Agency sells star names.
What a private registry can and cannot do
A private registry, like ours, keeps its own list: it links a name you choose to a real star, identified by its catalogue number. It can guarantee that this star is dedicated only once in its registry, give you a certificate and help you find the star.
It cannot make you the owner of the star, add the name to scientific catalogues, make it appear in astronomy apps or promise that nobody has dedicated the same star elsewhere.
Promises to avoid, honest promises
These phrases are common online. The left column should worry you; the right one is what an honest site can actually promise.
| Promise to avoid | What an honest site says |
|---|---|
| “Official”, “recognised”, “registered” name | “A symbolic dedication in our private registry” |
| Mentions of NASA, the IAU or an observatory | The IAU sells no names; the site is not affiliated with any scientific body |
| Name “insurance”, “filing” or “copyright” | The certificate is a keepsake, with no legal or financial value |
| Permanent strike-through prices, timers, “hurry, few stars left” | A stable price, with the total shown before payment: the sky is not running out of stars |
| A star with no number or coordinates | Catalogue number (HIP), coordinates and magnitude shown |
A single warning sign on the left is enough to look elsewhere, whatever the price.
How much does it really cost?
On 15 October 2026 we found star certificates from under 10 euros to nearly 200 euros, depending on the site and above all on the format: a simple PDF or a printed box shipped to your door. The star itself costs no site anything; you pay for the design, the service and, where relevant, printing and shipping.
At Starry Memory the certificate costs €8.91 to €2,241 depending on the star you choose, as a PDF download with no shipping fee. The price depends on the star (brightness, type), not on hidden extras.
How to check that your star exists
Three free checks you can do before or after buying:
The catalogue number
A real star has a public identifier, for example “HIP 4151”.
Type it into the SIMBAD astronomical database (Strasbourg data centre): the star’s record should appear.
The magnitude
It tells you whether the star is visible to the naked eye (6 or less, under a dark sky) or needs binoculars.
Look for the magnitude on the certificate or the star page; without it you cannot know whether you will be able to show it.
A way to find it
A name with no way to find the star stays abstract for the person who receives it.
Check that a finder guide, a chart or a free tool is included, with no subscription.
What we sell, and what we don’t
We sell a personalised PDF certificate (two A4 pages: the numbered certificate and an observing guide) and the assignment of a real Hipparcos star to your order, once, in the private Starry Memory registry. A QR code opens the star in 3D, then helps you find it in the real sky, with no app to install.
We do not sell the star, an official name or an entry in a scientific catalogue. The recipient and your message are never published; only the star name can be, if you choose. The certificate preview is free and needs no account: you see exactly what you will give before paying.
Frequently asked questions
Is it legal to buy a star?
Yes. Selling a symbolic dedication certificate is legal as long as the buyer is not misled about what they receive. The problem is promising an official name or ownership, not the gift itself.
Will astronomers recognise the star name?
No, not from any registry, ours included. Astronomers use scientific designations and names approved by the IAU.
Can you see the star you give?
It depends on its magnitude, your location, the season and the weather. Of the 1,024 stars in our catalogue, 758 have a magnitude of 6 or less, so they are visible to the naked eye under a dark sky. Visibility is never guaranteed.
Why pay if the name is not official?
For the gesture: a well-made certificate, a documented star you can find, and the assurance that it is dedicated only once in this registry. If you want scientific recognition, no website can sell it to you.
Is Starry Memory affiliated with the IAU or NASA?
No. Starry Memory is an independent private registry with no link to the IAU, NASA or any observatory.
Written by Mathis Delolmo, founder of Starry Memory. About us (in French) · Updated 15 October 2026
✦ Personalised star certificate
Give a star, scan it and find it in the sky with your smartphone
A personalised certificate with a QR code: one smartphone scan shows the star in 3D, then its direction in the real sky.
- Choose a real star and its name
- Scan the certificate’s QR code, no app needed
- Find it in the sky with your smartphone
From €8.91 · PDF to download as soon as you pay
Symbolic dedication in the private Starry Memory registry. Depending on its brightness and the weather, you’ll see it with the naked eye, with binoculars, or find its direction.