The AsterNym star registry
Alfirk
Alfirk: the blue star of Cepheus
blue · Cepheus · β Cep
Alfirk is a blue star 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. Alfirk 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
Alfirk at a glance
- Constellation
- Cepheus
- Other name
- β Cep
- Catalogue number
- HIP 106032
- Distance
- ≈ 690 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 3.23 naked-eye
- Star type
- B2 III
- Colour
- blue
- Best seen from
- The far northern sky
- Right ascension
- 21h 28m 44s
- Declination
- +70° 33′ 39″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Alfirk dedication represent?
Alfirk 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 Alfirk?
It is a deep-northern star: easy from Europe, North America and northern Asia, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 19°S.
Alfirk belongs to Cepheus.
Dedicate Alfirk to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Alfirk dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Alfirk's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Alfirk keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Alfirk
- Is Alfirk the brightest star?
- Alfirk shines at magnitude 3.23 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Alfirk?
- Alfirk is approximately 690 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 690 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Alfirk?
- Alfirk is part of Cepheus.
- Can everyone see Alfirk?
- It is a deep-northern star: easy from Europe, North America and northern Asia, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 19°S.
- Is dedicating Alfirk an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Alfirk 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.