The AsterNym star registry
Aniara
Aniara: the warm orange star of Ursa Major
warm orange · Ursa Major · HD 102956
Aniara is a warm orange giant, far along its stellar life in the constellation Ursa Major, one of the few thousand stars bright enough to carry an officially recognised name. It rewards a pair of binoculars on a clear night.
Most stars in the sky are anonymous points of light. Aniara 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
Aniara at a glance
- Constellation
- Ursa Major
- Other name
- HD 102956
- Catalogue number
- HIP 57820
- Distance
- ≈ 412 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 7.86 telescope
- Star type
- K0III
- Colour
- warm orange
- Best seen from
- The Northern Hemisphere and lower southern latitudes
- Right ascension
- 11h 51m 23s
- Declination
- +57° 38′ 27″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Aniara dedication represent?
Aniara 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 Ursa Major in the sky.”
Where can you see Aniara?
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 32°S.
Aniara belongs to Ursa Major.
Dedicate Aniara to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Aniara dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Aniara's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Aniara keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Aniara
- Is Aniara the brightest star?
- Aniara shines at magnitude 7.86 — a binocular-and-telescope star, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Aniara?
- Aniara is approximately 412 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 412 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Aniara?
- Aniara is part of Ursa Major.
- Can everyone see Aniara?
- 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 32°S.
- Is dedicating Aniara an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Aniara 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.