Birthdays, weddings, new babies
A name a star gift, done honestly
A star gift works best when it is true. Choose the day that matters, the place it happened and a real star that was in the sky. Give the star a name, add a message, and download a keepsake to print and frame. It costs US$12, or US$15 with a poster of the whole sky that night. It is a keepsake, and it says so plainly.
Your star
4Preview your keepsake
The real download has no PREVIEW marks and is full size (A4 or US Letter, 300 dpi), with a second page that shows how to find the star.
Download only: nothing is printed or posted. You pay on Stripe’s secure page; any sales tax or VAT is shown there before you pay. Refunds: 30 days, no questions asked. Other people can pick the same star, because no one can own a star or its name.
Good days to choose
- A birthday: the sky on the night they were born, over their home town.
- An anniversary or wedding: the sky over the place you married, at the time you said yes.
- A new baby: the stars above the hospital on their first night.
- The night you met, or a trip you will never forget.
- Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day: a star for each person, picked from a sky that means something.
Ideas for the message
Keep it short; one line looks best. A few starting points, to change as you like:
- “Wherever you are, look up.”
- “Our first night as a family.”
- “For the brightest person we know.”
- “So you always have a light to find.”
How to give it
Print the keepsake page on good paper and put it in a frame, or send the PDF by email with a note. The best part comes later: on a clear night, take the “how to find it” card outside and find the star together. It is real, and it will be there every year.
Questions about star gifts
What is a good star name?
Something short that means something to the person: their name, a nickname, a shared joke, or a word like "Hope". It fits best under 25 letters, and you can use up to 40.
How do I give it?
Print the keepsake page and frame it, or send the PDF by email. On a clear night, take the "how to find it" card outside and look for the star together.
Is it OK to give a star name that astronomers will not use?
Yes, as long as nobody is told that astronomers will use it. A keepsake is like naming a bench or a tree in your own mind: the meaning comes from you. We make sure the keepsake says so, kindly and clearly.
Will astronomers use the name I choose?
No. Only the International Astronomical Union (IAU) gives stars the names astronomers use, and it does not sell them. What you get here is a keepsake: a real star, the name you choose for it, and the facts to find it. We say this on every page and on the keepsake itself.
Is the star real?
Yes. Every star comes from the Bright Star Catalogue, a list of the roughly 9,000 stars you can see with your eyes on a dark night. The keepsake gives its real catalogue numbers, so anyone can look it up in a star app or a book.
Can I see my star?
Every star we offer can be seen without a telescope from a dark place. The brighter ones are easy even from a town. The keepsake comes with a card that says which month and time to look, which way to face and how high up it is.