The AsterNym star registry
Elgafar
Elgafar: the golden star of Virgo
golden · Virgo · ϕ Vir
Elgafar is a golden star, warmer-toned than our Sun in the constellation Virgo, 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. Elgafar 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
Elgafar at a glance
- Constellation
- Virgo
- Other name
- ϕ Vir
- Catalogue number
- HIP 70755
- Distance
- ≈ 118 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 4.84 naked-eye
- Star type
- G2III
- Colour
- golden
- Best seen from
- Almost everywhere on Earth
- Right ascension
- 14h 28m 12s
- Declination
- −02° 13′ 41″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Elgafar dedication represent?
Elgafar 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 Virgo in the sky.”
Where can you see Elgafar?
It sits near the celestial equator, so nearly every inhabited latitude gets a view of it at some point in the year.
Elgafar belongs to Virgo.
Dedicate Elgafar to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Elgafar dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Elgafar's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Elgafar keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Elgafar
- Is Elgafar the brightest star?
- Elgafar shines at magnitude 4.84 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Elgafar?
- Elgafar is approximately 118 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 118 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Elgafar?
- Elgafar is part of Virgo.
- Can everyone see Elgafar?
- It sits near the celestial equator, so nearly every inhabited latitude gets a view of it at some point in the year.
- Is dedicating Elgafar an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Elgafar 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.