The AsterNym star registry
Eta Ceti
Eta Ceti: the warm orange star of Cetus
warm orange · Cetus · η Cet
Eta Ceti is a warm orange giant, far along its stellar life in the constellation Cetus, 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. Eta Ceti 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
Eta Ceti at a glance
- Constellation
- Cetus
- Other name
- η Cet
- Catalogue number
- HIP 5364
- Distance
- ≈ 124 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 3.45 naked-eye
- Star type
- K2 III
- Colour
- warm orange
- Best seen from
- Almost everywhere on Earth
- Right ascension
- 01h 08m 35s
- Declination
- −10° 10′ 57″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Eta Ceti dedication represent?
Eta Ceti 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 Cetus in the sky.”
Where can you see Eta Ceti?
It sits near the celestial equator, so nearly every inhabited latitude gets a view of it at some point in the year.
Eta Ceti belongs to Cetus.
Dedicate Eta Ceti to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Eta Ceti dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Eta Ceti's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Eta Ceti keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Eta Ceti
- Is Eta Ceti the brightest star?
- Eta Ceti shines at magnitude 3.45 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Eta Ceti?
- Eta Ceti is approximately 124 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 124 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Eta Ceti?
- Eta Ceti is part of Cetus.
- Can everyone see Eta Ceti?
- It sits near the celestial equator, so nearly every inhabited latitude gets a view of it at some point in the year.
- Is dedicating Eta Ceti an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Eta Ceti 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.