The AsterNym star registry
Menkalinan
Menkalinan: the white star of Auriga
white · Auriga · β Aur
Menkalinan is a white star, burning hotter than our own Sun in the constellation Auriga, 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. Menkalinan 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
Menkalinan at a glance
- Constellation
- Auriga
- Other name
- β Aur
- Catalogue number
- HIP 28360
- Distance
- ≈ 82 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 1.90 naked-eye
- Star type
- A2 IV
- Colour
- white
- Best seen from
- The Northern Hemisphere and lower southern latitudes
- Right ascension
- 05h 59m 32s
- Declination
- +44° 56′ 51″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Menkalinan dedication represent?
Menkalinan 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 Auriga in the sky.”
Where can you see Menkalinan?
It is easy to see from most of the Northern Hemisphere. It can also appear from lower southern latitudes, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 45°S.
Menkalinan belongs to Auriga.
Dedicate Menkalinan to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Menkalinan dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Menkalinan's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Menkalinan keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Menkalinan
- Is Menkalinan the brightest star?
- Menkalinan shines at magnitude 1.90 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Menkalinan?
- Menkalinan is approximately 82 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 82 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Menkalinan?
- Menkalinan is part of Auriga.
- Can everyone see Menkalinan?
- It is easy to see from most of the Northern Hemisphere. It can also appear from lower southern latitudes, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 45°S.
- Is dedicating Menkalinan an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Menkalinan 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.