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The International Star Registry (ISR) offers one of the
most exciting gift opportunities in the world. ISR recognised the desire
for assigning names of loved ones to the stars and started archiving
star names in 1979. The integrity and uniqueness of the star name
assignments have been maintained ever since.
Based in Illinois, USA, ISR has 14 offices worldwide and
offers an internationally coordinated service. Since 1979, over one
million stars have been named to celebrate special occasions, honour
individuals and reward excellence.
Where do the
Stars come from?
Every star in our listing comes from the
'Hubble Guide Star Catalog' which is widely recognised in the
astronomical community as the most accurate source of the location
of stars. Over 15 Million stars are listed by astronomical
coordinates or catalogue numbers. These stars are as yet unnamed and
bright enough to be seen with a small telescope (100mm/4" or
better). ISR employs sophisticated computer systems to plot each
star selected for naming on its own individual skychart. Each star
is named once only. The stars thus named are not "owned", nor is
their scientific identification altered. The 2873 stars visible to
the naked eye are not available for naming because they already have
scientific and historical names.
Is ISR a
scientific organisation?
ISR's astronomical listing is not
scientific but symbolic. The stars are recorded alphabetically
rather than by size and location. Registering stars by name is of
both personal and historical significance. Because the stars are
listed according to the names assigned to each, centuries from now
our descendants will be able to look up the volumes of "Your Place
In The Cosmos", and locate the actual star named in the sky. And
that is a beautiful thought, isn't it?
Who gives ISR
the right to name stars?
The International Astronomical Union
(IAU) is the sole internationally recognised authority for assigning
designations to celestial bodies and surface features on such
bodies. By policy, the IAU and astronomers do not name stars,
galaxies, craters on the Moon, or features on the planets for living
individuals. So if someone wanted to name a star for a living friend
or loved one, not even the IAU can accommodate this.
Objects are sometimes named by the IAU to honour certain
deceased persons. These names are proposed by national IAU
representatives and voted on every three years. In contrast, objects
such as comets and asteroids are named after their discoverers, and
official IAU numbers are also assigned.
The ISR service is totally independent of IAU.
Where does
the money go?
ISR is a commercial gift service providing individuals
with the opportunity of naming a real star in honour of someone
special to them. ISR has an ongoing commitment to assist good causes
and charities.
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