The AsterNym star registry
Menkar
Menkar: the deep red star of Cetus
deep red · Cetus · α Cet
Menkar is a deep red star in the constellation Cetus, 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. Menkar 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
Menkar at a glance
- Constellation
- Cetus
- Other name
- α Cet
- Catalogue number
- HIP 14135
- Distance
- ≈ 220 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 2.54 naked-eye
- Star type
- M1.5 III
- Colour
- deep red
- Best seen from
- Almost everywhere on Earth
- Right ascension
- 03h 02m 16s
- Declination
- +04° 05′ 24″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Menkar dedication represent?
Menkar 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 Cetus in the sky.”
Where can you see Menkar?
It sits near the celestial equator, so nearly every inhabited latitude gets a view of it at some point in the year.
Menkar belongs to Cetus.
Dedicate Menkar to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Menkar dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Menkar's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Menkar keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Menkar
- Is Menkar the brightest star?
- Menkar shines at magnitude 2.54 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Menkar?
- Menkar is approximately 220 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 220 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Menkar?
- Menkar is part of Cetus.
- Can everyone see Menkar?
- It sits near the celestial equator, so nearly every inhabited latitude gets a view of it at some point in the year.
- Is dedicating Menkar an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Menkar 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.