Preview — this is a sample dedication, shown so you can see what a dedicated star page looks like.
A dedicated star
Polaris Australis
yellow-white · Octans · σ Oct
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, Polaris Australis becomes available again. Want it? Put the date in your calendar.
Polaris Australis at a glance
- Constellation
- Octans
- Other name
- σ Oct
- Catalogue number
- HIP 104382
- Distance
- ≈ 281 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 5.45 naked-eye
- Star type
- F0III
- Colour
- yellow-white
- Best seen from
- The far southern sky
- Right ascension
- 21h 08m 47s
- Declination
- −88° 57′ 23″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
Where can you see Polaris Australis?
It is a deep-southern star: easy from Australia, New Zealand, southern Africa and South America, but it never rises for observers north of about latitude 1°N.
Polaris Australis belongs to Octans, where it is the brightest star.
Frequently asked questions about Polaris Australis
- Is Polaris Australis the brightest star?
- Polaris Australis shines at magnitude 5.45 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Polaris Australis?
- Polaris Australis is approximately 281 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 281 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Polaris Australis?
- Polaris Australis is the brightest star in Octans.
- Can everyone see Polaris Australis?
- It is a deep-southern star: easy from Australia, New Zealand, southern Africa and South America, but it never rises for observers north of about latitude 1°N.
- Is dedicating Polaris Australis an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Polaris Australis 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.