The AsterNym star registry
Fafnir
Fafnir: the warm orange star of Draco
warm orange · Draco · 42 Dra
Fafnir is a warm orange giant, far along its stellar life in the constellation Draco, 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. Fafnir 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
Fafnir at a glance
- Constellation
- Draco
- Other name
- 42 Dra
- Catalogue number
- HIP 90344
- Distance
- ≈ 315 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 4.82 naked-eye
- Star type
- K2III
- Colour
- warm orange
- Best seen from
- The far northern sky
- Right ascension
- 18h 25m 59s
- Declination
- +65° 33′ 49″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Fafnir dedication represent?
Fafnir 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 Draco in the sky.”
Where can you see Fafnir?
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.
Fafnir belongs to Draco.
Dedicate Fafnir to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Fafnir dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Fafnir's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Fafnir keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Fafnir
- Is Fafnir the brightest star?
- Fafnir shines at magnitude 4.82 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Fafnir?
- Fafnir is approximately 315 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 315 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Fafnir?
- Fafnir is part of Draco.
- Can everyone see Fafnir?
- 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 Fafnir an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Fafnir 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.