The AsterNym star registry
Mirzam
Mirzam: the blue star of Canis Major
blue · Canis Major · β CMa
Mirzam is a blue star in the constellation Canis Major, 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. Mirzam 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
Mirzam at a glance
- Constellation
- Canis Major
- Other name
- β CMa
- Catalogue number
- HIP 30324
- Distance
- ≈ 500 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 1.98 naked-eye
- Star type
- B1 II-III
- Colour
- blue
- Best seen from
- Almost everywhere on Earth
- Right ascension
- 06h 22m 42s
- Declination
- −17° 57′ 21″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Mirzam dedication represent?
Mirzam 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 Canis Major in the sky.”
Where can you see Mirzam?
It sits near the celestial equator, so nearly every inhabited latitude gets a view of it at some point in the year.
Mirzam belongs to Canis Major.
Dedicate Mirzam to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Mirzam dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Mirzam's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Mirzam keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Mirzam
- Is Mirzam the brightest star?
- Mirzam shines at magnitude 1.98 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Mirzam?
- Mirzam is approximately 500 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 500 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Mirzam?
- Mirzam is part of Canis Major.
- Can everyone see Mirzam?
- It sits near the celestial equator, so nearly every inhabited latitude gets a view of it at some point in the year.
- Is dedicating Mirzam an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Mirzam 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.