The AsterNym star registry
Al Tarf
Al Tarf: the warm orange star of Cancer
warm orange · Cancer · β Cnc
Al Tarf is a warm orange giant, far along its stellar life in the constellation Cancer, one of the few thousand stars bright enough to carry an officially recognised name. On a dark, clear night you can find it with your own eyes.
Most stars in the sky are anonymous points of light. Al Tarf is not — it has held a name across generations of sky-watchers, which makes it a rare thing to attach a name of your own to.
Real star · Personal dedication · Recorded in the AsterNym registry
See what a dedicated page looks like — preview
Al Tarf at a glance
- Constellation
- Cancer
- Other name
- β Cnc
- Catalogue number
- HIP 40526
- Distance
- ≈ 290 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 3.53 naked-eye
- Star type
- K4 III
- Colour
- warm orange
- Best seen from
- Almost everywhere on Earth
- Right ascension
- 08h 16m 30s
- Declination
- +09° 11′ 08″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Al Tarf dedication represent?
Al Tarf is especially meaningful for someone who:
- · Deserves something older than any gift shop
- · Marks a beginning, an anniversary or a promise
- · Is remembered every time you look up
- · Has a light you want recorded somewhere permanent
Dedication idea
“For the one I think of when I find Cancer in the sky.”
Where can you see Al Tarf?
It sits near the celestial equator, so nearly every inhabited latitude gets a view of it at some point in the year.
Al Tarf belongs to Cancer, where it is the brightest star.
Dedicate Al Tarf to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Al Tarf dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Al Tarf's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Al Tarf keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Al Tarf
- Is Al Tarf the brightest star?
- Al Tarf shines at magnitude 3.53 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Al Tarf?
- Al Tarf is approximately 290 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 290 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Al Tarf?
- Al Tarf is the brightest star in Cancer.
- Can everyone see Al Tarf?
- It sits near the celestial equator, so nearly every inhabited latitude gets a view of it at some point in the year.
- Is dedicating Al Tarf an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Al Tarf keeps its internationally recognised astronomical name. An AsterNym dedication records your personal name and message in the AsterNym registry without changing the star's scientific identity.