The AsterNym star registry
Rangifer
Rangifer: the golden star of Cassiopeia
golden · Cassiopeia · 49 Cas
Rangifer is a golden star, warmer-toned than our Sun in the constellation Cassiopeia, 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. Rangifer 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
Rangifer at a glance
- Constellation
- Cassiopeia
- Other name
- 49 Cas
- Catalogue number
- HIP 9763
- Distance
- ≈ 400 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 5.22 naked-eye
- Star type
- G8III
- Colour
- golden
- Best seen from
- The far northern sky
- Right ascension
- 02h 05m 32s
- Declination
- +76° 06′ 54″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Rangifer dedication represent?
Rangifer 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 Cassiopeia in the sky.”
Where can you see Rangifer?
It is a deep-northern star: easy from Europe, North America and northern Asia, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 14°S.
Rangifer belongs to Cassiopeia.
Dedicate Rangifer to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Rangifer dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Rangifer's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Rangifer keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Rangifer
- Is Rangifer the brightest star?
- Rangifer shines at magnitude 5.22 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Rangifer?
- Rangifer is approximately 400 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 400 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Rangifer?
- Rangifer is part of Cassiopeia.
- Can everyone see Rangifer?
- It is a deep-northern star: easy from Europe, North America and northern Asia, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 14°S.
- Is dedicating Rangifer an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Rangifer 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.