The AsterNym star registry
Mintaka
Mintaka: the blue star of Orion
blue · Orion · δ Ori
Mintaka is a blue star in the constellation Orion, 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. Mintaka 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
Mintaka at a glance
- Constellation
- Orion
- Other name
- δ Ori
- Catalogue number
- HIP 25930
- Distance
- ≈ 1,200 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 2.23 naked-eye
- Star type
- O9.5 II
- Colour
- blue
- Best seen from
- Almost everywhere on Earth
- Right ascension
- 05h 32m 00s
- Declination
- −00° 17′ 57″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Mintaka dedication represent?
Mintaka 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 Orion in the sky.”
Where can you see Mintaka?
It sits near the celestial equator, so nearly every inhabited latitude gets a view of it at some point in the year.
Mintaka belongs to Orion.
Dedicate Mintaka to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Mintaka dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Mintaka's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Mintaka keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Mintaka
- Is Mintaka the brightest star?
- Mintaka shines at magnitude 2.23 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Mintaka?
- Mintaka is approximately 1,200 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 1,200 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Mintaka?
- Mintaka is part of Orion.
- Can everyone see Mintaka?
- It sits near the celestial equator, so nearly every inhabited latitude gets a view of it at some point in the year.
- Is dedicating Mintaka an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Mintaka 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.