The AsterNym star registry
Merga
Merga: the yellow-white star of Boötes
yellow-white · Boötes · 38 Boo
Merga is a yellow-white star, a near cousin of our own Sun's colour in the constellation Boötes, 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. Merga 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
Merga at a glance
- Constellation
- Boötes
- Other name
- 38 Boo
- Catalogue number
- HIP 72487
- Distance
- ≈ 160 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 5.76 naked-eye
- Star type
- F7IVw
- Colour
- yellow-white
- Best seen from
- The Northern Hemisphere and lower southern latitudes
- Right ascension
- 14h 49m 19s
- Declination
- +46° 06′ 58″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Merga dedication represent?
Merga 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 Boötes in the sky.”
Where can you see Merga?
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 44°S.
Merga belongs to Boötes.
Dedicate Merga to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Merga dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Merga's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Merga keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Merga
- Is Merga the brightest star?
- Merga shines at magnitude 5.76 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Merga?
- Merga is approximately 160 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 160 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Merga?
- Merga is part of Boötes.
- Can everyone see Merga?
- 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 44°S.
- Is dedicating Merga an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Merga 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.