The AsterNym star registry
Sham
Sham: the golden star of Sagitta
golden · Sagitta · α Sge
Sham is a golden star, warmer-toned than our Sun in the constellation Sagitta, 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. Sham 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
Sham at a glance
- Constellation
- Sagitta
- Other name
- α Sge
- Catalogue number
- HIP 96757
- Distance
- ≈ 425 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 4.39 naked-eye
- Star type
- G0II
- Colour
- golden
- Best seen from
- Almost everywhere on Earth
- Right ascension
- 19h 40m 06s
- Declination
- +18° 00′ 50″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Sham dedication represent?
Sham 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 Sagitta in the sky.”
Where can you see Sham?
It sits near the celestial equator, so nearly every inhabited latitude gets a view of it at some point in the year.
Sham belongs to Sagitta.
Dedicate Sham to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Sham dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Sham's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Sham keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Sham
- Is Sham the brightest star?
- Sham shines at magnitude 4.39 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Sham?
- Sham is approximately 425 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 425 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Sham?
- Sham is part of Sagitta.
- Can everyone see Sham?
- It sits near the celestial equator, so nearly every inhabited latitude gets a view of it at some point in the year.
- Is dedicating Sham an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Sham 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.