The AsterNym star registry
Algol
Algol: the blue-white star of Perseus
blue-white · Perseus · β Per
Algol is a blue-white star — the colour of the hottest, youngest suns in the constellation Perseus, 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. Algol 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
Algol at a glance
- Constellation
- Perseus
- Other name
- β Per
- Catalogue number
- HIP 14576
- Distance
- ≈ 90 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 2.12 naked-eye
- Star type
- B8 V
- Colour
- blue-white
- Best seen from
- The Northern Hemisphere and lower southern latitudes
- Right ascension
- 03h 08m 10s
- Declination
- +40° 57′ 20″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Algol dedication represent?
Algol 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 Perseus in the sky.”
Where can you see Algol?
It is easy to see from most of the Northern Hemisphere. It can also appear from lower southern latitudes, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 49°S.
Algol belongs to Perseus.
Dedicate Algol to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Algol dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Algol's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Algol keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Algol
- Is Algol the brightest star?
- Algol shines at magnitude 2.12 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Algol?
- Algol is approximately 90 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 90 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Algol?
- Algol is part of Perseus.
- Can everyone see Algol?
- It is easy to see from most of the Northern Hemisphere. It can also appear from lower southern latitudes, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 49°S.
- Is dedicating Algol an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Algol 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.