The AsterNym star registry
Cervantes
Cervantes: the golden star of Ara
golden · Ara · μ Ara
Cervantes is a golden star, warmer-toned than our Sun in the constellation Ara, 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. Cervantes 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
Cervantes at a glance
- Constellation
- Ara
- Other name
- μ Ara
- Catalogue number
- HIP 86796
- Distance
- ≈ 51 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 5.15 naked-eye
- Star type
- G5V
- Colour
- golden
- Best seen from
- The Southern Hemisphere and lower northern latitudes
- Right ascension
- 17h 44m 09s
- Declination
- −51° 50′ 03″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Cervantes dedication represent?
Cervantes 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 Ara in the sky.”
Where can you see Cervantes?
It is easy to see from much of the Southern Hemisphere. It can also appear from lower northern latitudes, but it never rises for observers north of about latitude 38°N.
Cervantes belongs to Ara, where it is the brightest star.
Dedicate Cervantes to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Cervantes dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Cervantes's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Cervantes keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Cervantes
- Is Cervantes the brightest star?
- Cervantes shines at magnitude 5.15 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Cervantes?
- Cervantes is approximately 51 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 51 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Cervantes?
- Cervantes is the brightest star in Ara.
- Can everyone see Cervantes?
- It is easy to see from much of the Southern Hemisphere. It can also appear from lower northern latitudes, but it never rises for observers north of about latitude 38°N.
- Is dedicating Cervantes an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Cervantes 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.