Preview — this is a sample dedication, shown so you can see what a dedicated star page looks like.
A dedicated star
Kochab
warm orange · Ursa Minor · β UMi
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, Kochab becomes available again. Want it? Put the date in your calendar.
Kochab at a glance
- Constellation
- Ursa Minor
- Other name
- β UMi
- Catalogue number
- HIP 72607
- Distance
- ≈ 131 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 2.08 naked-eye
- Star type
- K4 III
- Colour
- warm orange
- Best seen from
- The far northern sky
- Right ascension
- 14h 50m 42s
- Declination
- +74° 09′ 20″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
Where can you see Kochab?
It is a deep-northern star: easy from Europe, North America and northern Asia, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 16°S.
Kochab belongs to Ursa Minor.
Frequently asked questions about Kochab
- Is Kochab the brightest star?
- Kochab shines at magnitude 2.08 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Kochab?
- Kochab is approximately 131 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 131 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Kochab?
- Kochab is part of Ursa Minor.
- Can everyone see Kochab?
- It is a deep-northern star: easy from Europe, North America and northern Asia, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 16°S.
- Is dedicating Kochab an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Kochab 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.