The AsterNym star registry
Heng
Heng: the blue-white star of Centaurus
blue-white · Centaurus · ν Cen
Heng is a blue-white star — the colour of the hottest, youngest suns in the constellation Centaurus, 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. Heng 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
Heng at a glance
- Constellation
- Centaurus
- Other name
- ν Cen
- Catalogue number
- HIP 67464
- Distance
- ≈ 437 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 3.39 naked-eye
- Star type
- B2IV
- Colour
- blue-white
- Best seen from
- The Southern Hemisphere and lower northern latitudes
- Right ascension
- 13h 49m 30s
- Declination
- −41° 41′ 16″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Heng dedication represent?
Heng 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 Centaurus in the sky.”
Where can you see Heng?
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 48°N.
Heng belongs to Centaurus.
Dedicate Heng to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Heng dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Heng's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Heng keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Heng
- Is Heng the brightest star?
- Heng shines at magnitude 3.39 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Heng?
- Heng is approximately 437 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 437 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Heng?
- Heng is part of Centaurus.
- Can everyone see Heng?
- 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 48°N.
- Is dedicating Heng an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Heng 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.