The AsterNym star registry
Nekkar
Nekkar: the golden star of Boötes
golden · Boötes · β Boo
Nekkar is a golden star, warmer-toned than our Sun in the constellation Boötes, 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. Nekkar 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
Nekkar at a glance
- Constellation
- Boötes
- Other name
- β Boo
- Catalogue number
- HIP 73555
- Distance
- ≈ 225 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 3.49 naked-eye
- Star type
- G8III
- Colour
- golden
- Best seen from
- The Northern Hemisphere and lower southern latitudes
- Right ascension
- 15h 01m 57s
- Declination
- +40° 23′ 26″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Nekkar dedication represent?
Nekkar 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 Boötes in the sky.”
Where can you see Nekkar?
It is easy to see from most of the Northern Hemisphere. It can also appear from lower southern latitudes, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 50°S.
Nekkar belongs to Boötes.
Dedicate Nekkar to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Nekkar dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Nekkar's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Nekkar keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Nekkar
- Is Nekkar the brightest star?
- Nekkar shines at magnitude 3.49 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Nekkar?
- Nekkar is approximately 225 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 225 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Nekkar?
- Nekkar is part of Boötes.
- Can everyone see Nekkar?
- It is easy to see from most of the Northern Hemisphere. It can also appear from lower southern latitudes, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 50°S.
- Is dedicating Nekkar an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Nekkar 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.