The AsterNym star registry
Alnitak
Alnitak: the blue star of Orion
blue · Orion · ζ Ori
Alnitak is a blue star in the constellation Orion, 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. Alnitak 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
Alnitak at a glance
- Constellation
- Orion
- Other name
- ζ Ori
- Catalogue number
- HIP 26727
- Distance
- ≈ 820 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 1.74 naked-eye
- Star type
- O9.5 Ib
- Colour
- blue
- Best seen from
- Almost everywhere on Earth
- Right ascension
- 05h 40m 45s
- Declination
- −01° 56′ 33″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Alnitak dedication represent?
Alnitak 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 Orion in the sky.”
Where can you see Alnitak?
It sits near the celestial equator, so nearly every inhabited latitude gets a view of it at some point in the year.
Alnitak belongs to Orion.
Dedicate Alnitak to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Alnitak dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Alnitak's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Alnitak keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Alnitak
- Is Alnitak the brightest star?
- Alnitak shines at magnitude 1.74 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Alnitak?
- Alnitak is approximately 820 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 820 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Alnitak?
- Alnitak is part of Orion.
- Can everyone see Alnitak?
- It sits near the celestial equator, so nearly every inhabited latitude gets a view of it at some point in the year.
- Is dedicating Alnitak an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Alnitak 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.