The AsterNym star registry
Barnard's Star
Barnard's Star: the pale star of Ophiuchus
pale · Ophiuchus · V2500 Oph
Barnard's Star is a pale star in the constellation Ophiuchus, 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. Barnard's Star 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
Barnard's Star at a glance
- Constellation
- Ophiuchus
- Other name
- V2500 Oph
- Catalogue number
- HIP 87937
- Distance
- ≈ 6.0 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 9.54 telescope
- Star type
- sdM4
- Colour
- pale
- Best seen from
- Almost everywhere on Earth
- Right ascension
- 17h 57m 49s
- Declination
- +04° 40′ 06″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Barnard's Star dedication represent?
Barnard's Star 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 Ophiuchus in the sky.”
Where can you see Barnard's Star?
It sits near the celestial equator, so nearly every inhabited latitude gets a view of it at some point in the year.
Barnard's Star belongs to Ophiuchus.
Dedicate Barnard's Star to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Barnard's Star dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Barnard's Star's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Barnard's Star keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Barnard's Star
- Is Barnard's Star the brightest star?
- Barnard's Star shines at magnitude 9.54 — a binocular-and-telescope star, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Barnard's Star?
- Barnard's Star is approximately 6.0 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 6 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Barnard's Star?
- Barnard's Star is part of Ophiuchus.
- Can everyone see Barnard's Star?
- It sits near the celestial equator, so nearly every inhabited latitude gets a view of it at some point in the year.
- Is dedicating Barnard's Star an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Barnard's Star 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.