Galaxy Origins
Is naming a star real?
Official names for stars and galaxies are decided by the International Astronomical Union, which does not sell them. A star naming certificate records a name in the selling company's own list, and no astronomer will ever use it.
It is a legal novelty present and many people enjoy it. It just isn't what it often sounds like.
What we do instead
Most people who search for a star are really looking for a way to say this moment mattered and it was ours. We start from the same wish and keep it honest: your date, hour and town fix a spot straight above your head, and the nearest galaxy in the professional catalogues becomes the picture, under its own number, with your words beside it.
| Star naming certificate | Galaxy Origins | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A star chosen from a list | The galaxy overhead at your moment |
| The name | Invented, recognised by no astronomer | Its real catalogue number, kept |
| On the wall | A certificate and a chart | A telescope photograph, framed |
| Can you check it? | Only in the seller's list | Yes, in the NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database |
What we promise, and what we don't
Ownership and naming rights are not ours to give, so you will not find either anywhere in the box. Three things are: the galaxy really was over your town at your minute; the photograph is of that galaxy and no other; and our register will not hand the same one to another order. Anyone can check the first two with the number in the corner.
