Preview — this is a sample dedication, shown so you can see what a dedicated star page looks like.
A dedicated star
Hoerikwaggo
golden · Mensa · α Men
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, Hoerikwaggo becomes available again. Want it? Put the date in your calendar.
Hoerikwaggo at a glance
- Constellation
- Mensa
- Other name
- α Men
- Catalogue number
- HIP 29271
- Distance
- ≈ 33 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 5.01 naked-eye
- Star type
- G5V
- Colour
- golden
- Best seen from
- The far southern sky
- Right ascension
- 06h 10m 14s
- Declination
- −74° 45′ 11″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
Where can you see Hoerikwaggo?
It is a deep-southern star: easy from Australia, New Zealand, southern Africa and South America, but it never rises for observers north of about latitude 15°N.
Hoerikwaggo belongs to Mensa, where it is the brightest star.
Frequently asked questions about Hoerikwaggo
- Is Hoerikwaggo the brightest star?
- Hoerikwaggo shines at magnitude 5.01 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Hoerikwaggo?
- Hoerikwaggo is approximately 33 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 33 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Hoerikwaggo?
- Hoerikwaggo is the brightest star in Mensa.
- Can everyone see Hoerikwaggo?
- It is a deep-southern star: easy from Australia, New Zealand, southern Africa and South America, but it never rises for observers north of about latitude 15°N.
- Is dedicating Hoerikwaggo an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Hoerikwaggo 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.