The AsterNym star registry
Rana
Rana: the warm orange star of Eridanus
warm orange · Eridanus · δ Eri
Rana is a warm orange giant, far along its stellar life in the constellation Eridanus, 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. Rana 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
Rana at a glance
- Constellation
- Eridanus
- Other name
- δ Eri
- Catalogue number
- HIP 17378
- Distance
- ≈ 29 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 3.53 naked-eye
- Star type
- K0IV
- Colour
- warm orange
- Best seen from
- Almost everywhere on Earth
- Right ascension
- 03h 43m 15s
- Declination
- −09° 45′ 48″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Rana dedication represent?
Rana 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 Eridanus in the sky.”
Where can you see Rana?
It sits near the celestial equator, so nearly every inhabited latitude gets a view of it at some point in the year.
Rana belongs to Eridanus.
Dedicate Rana to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Rana dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Rana's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Rana keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Rana
- Is Rana the brightest star?
- Rana shines at magnitude 3.53 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Rana?
- Rana is approximately 29 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 29 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Rana?
- Rana is part of Eridanus.
- Can everyone see Rana?
- It sits near the celestial equator, so nearly every inhabited latitude gets a view of it at some point in the year.
- Is dedicating Rana an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Rana 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.