The AsterNym star registry
Naos
Naos: the blue star of Puppis
blue · Puppis · ζ Pup
Naos is a blue star in the constellation Puppis, 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. Naos 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
Naos at a glance
- Constellation
- Puppis
- Other name
- ζ Pup
- Catalogue number
- HIP 39429
- Distance
- ≈ 1,080 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 2.25 naked-eye
- Star type
- O4 If
- Colour
- blue
- Best seen from
- The Southern Hemisphere and lower northern latitudes
- Right ascension
- 08h 03m 34s
- Declination
- −40° 00′ 11″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Naos dedication represent?
Naos 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 Puppis in the sky.”
Where can you see Naos?
It is easy to see from much of the Southern Hemisphere. It can also appear from lower northern latitudes, but it never rises for observers north of about latitude 50°N.
Naos belongs to Puppis, where it is the brightest star.
Dedicate Naos to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Naos dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Naos's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Naos keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Naos
- Is Naos the brightest star?
- Naos shines at magnitude 2.25 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Naos?
- Naos is approximately 1,080 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 1,080 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Naos?
- Naos is the brightest star in Puppis.
- Can everyone see Naos?
- It is easy to see from much of the Southern Hemisphere. It can also appear from lower northern latitudes, but it never rises for observers north of about latitude 50°N.
- Is dedicating Naos an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Naos 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.