The AsterNym star registry
Alderamin
Alderamin: the white star of Cepheus
white · Cepheus · α Cep
Alderamin is a white star, burning hotter than our own Sun in the constellation Cepheus, 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. Alderamin 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
Alderamin at a glance
- Constellation
- Cepheus
- Other name
- α Cep
- Catalogue number
- HIP 105199
- Distance
- ≈ 49 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 2.51 naked-eye
- Star type
- A7 IV-V
- Colour
- white
- Best seen from
- The far northern sky
- Right ascension
- 21h 18m 35s
- Declination
- +62° 35′ 08″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Alderamin dedication represent?
Alderamin 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 Cepheus in the sky.”
Where can you see Alderamin?
It is a deep-northern star: easy from Europe, North America and northern Asia, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 27°S.
Alderamin belongs to Cepheus, where it is the brightest star.
Dedicate Alderamin to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Alderamin dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Alderamin's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Alderamin keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Alderamin
- Is Alderamin the brightest star?
- Alderamin shines at magnitude 2.51 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Alderamin?
- Alderamin is approximately 49 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 49 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Alderamin?
- Alderamin is the brightest star in Cepheus.
- Can everyone see Alderamin?
- It is a deep-northern star: easy from Europe, North America and northern Asia, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 27°S.
- Is dedicating Alderamin an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Alderamin 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.