The AsterNym star registry
Menkib
Menkib: the blue star of Perseus
blue · Perseus · ξ Per
Menkib is a blue star in the constellation Perseus, 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. Menkib 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
Menkib at a glance
- Constellation
- Perseus
- Other name
- ξ Per
- Catalogue number
- HIP 18614
- Distance
- ≈ 1,490 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 4.04 naked-eye
- Star type
- O7 III
- Colour
- blue
- Best seen from
- The Northern Hemisphere and lower southern latitudes
- Right ascension
- 03h 58m 58s
- Declination
- +35° 47′ 28″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Menkib dedication represent?
Menkib 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 Perseus in the sky.”
Where can you see Menkib?
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 54°S.
Menkib belongs to Perseus.
Dedicate Menkib to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Menkib dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Menkib's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Menkib keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Menkib
- Is Menkib the brightest star?
- Menkib shines at magnitude 4.04 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Menkib?
- Menkib is approximately 1,490 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 1,490 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Menkib?
- Menkib is part of Perseus.
- Can everyone see Menkib?
- 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 54°S.
- Is dedicating Menkib an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Menkib 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.