The AsterNym star registry
Mira
Mira: the deep red star of Cetus
deep red · Cetus · ο Cet
Mira 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. Mira 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
Mira at a glance
- Constellation
- Cetus
- Other name
- ο Cet
- Catalogue number
- HIP 10826
- Distance
- ≈ 299 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 6.47 naked-eye
- Star type
- M5e-M9e
- Colour
- deep red
- Best seen from
- Almost everywhere on Earth
- Right ascension
- 02h 19m 21s
- Declination
- −02° 58′ 40″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Mira dedication represent?
Mira 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 Mira?
It sits near the celestial equator, so nearly every inhabited latitude gets a view of it at some point in the year.
Mira belongs to Cetus.
Dedicate Mira to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Mira dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Mira's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Mira keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Mira
- Is Mira the brightest star?
- Mira shines at magnitude 6.47 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Mira?
- Mira is approximately 299 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 299 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Mira?
- Mira is part of Cetus.
- Can everyone see Mira?
- It sits near the celestial equator, so nearly every inhabited latitude gets a view of it at some point in the year.
- Is dedicating Mira an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Mira 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.