Preview — this is a sample dedication, shown so you can see what a dedicated star page looks like.
A dedicated star
Mintaka
blue · Orion · δ Ori
Dedicated to
Maya
by Her sister, June · August 12, 2026
“You were born on the brightest night of my life. Whenever you feel small, remember: there is a star that has carried your name since before you could read it — and it is still up there, still burning, still yours.”
This dedication
- Dedicated to
- Maya
- Dedicated by
- Her sister, June
- Recorded
- August 12, 2026
- Held until
- August 12, 2027
When this dedication ends, Mintaka becomes available again. Want it? Put the date in your calendar.
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.
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.
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.