Preview — this is a sample dedication, shown so you can see what a dedicated star page looks like.
A dedicated star
Custos
deep red · Camelopardalis · BE Cam
Dedicated to
Maya
by Her sister, June · August 12, 2026
“You were born on the brightest night of my life. Whenever you feel small, remember: there is a star that has carried your name since before you could read it — and it is still up there, still burning, still yours.”
This dedication
- Dedicated to
- Maya
- Dedicated by
- Her sister, June
- Recorded
- August 12, 2026
- Held until
- August 12, 2027
When this dedication ends, Custos becomes available again. Want it? Put the date in your calendar.
Custos at a glance
- Constellation
- Camelopardalis
- Other name
- BE Cam
- Catalogue number
- HIP 17884
- Distance
- ≈ 796 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 4.48 naked-eye
- Star type
- M1III
- Colour
- deep red
- Best seen from
- The far northern sky
- Right ascension
- 03h 49m 31s
- Declination
- +65° 31′ 34″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
Where can you see Custos?
It is a deep-northern star: easy from Europe, North America and northern Asia, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 24°S.
Custos belongs to Camelopardalis, where it is the brightest star.
Frequently asked questions about Custos
- Is Custos the brightest star?
- Custos shines at magnitude 4.48 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Custos?
- Custos is approximately 796 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 796 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Custos?
- Custos is the brightest star in Camelopardalis.
- Can everyone see Custos?
- It is a deep-northern star: easy from Europe, North America and northern Asia, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 24°S.
- Is dedicating Custos an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Custos 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.