The AsterNym star registry
Shaowei
Shaowei: the white star of Camelopardalis
white · Camelopardalis · γ Cam
Shaowei is a white star, burning hotter than our own Sun in the constellation Camelopardalis, 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. Shaowei 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
Shaowei at a glance
- Constellation
- Camelopardalis
- Other name
- γ Cam
- Catalogue number
- HIP 17959
- Distance
- ≈ 359 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 4.60 naked-eye
- Star type
- A2IVn
- Colour
- white
- Best seen from
- The far northern sky
- Right ascension
- 03h 50m 22s
- Declination
- +71° 19′ 56″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Shaowei dedication represent?
Shaowei 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 Camelopardalis in the sky.”
Where can you see Shaowei?
It is a deep-northern star: easy from Europe, North America and northern Asia, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 19°S.
Shaowei belongs to Camelopardalis.
Dedicate Shaowei to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Shaowei dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Shaowei's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Shaowei keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Shaowei
- Is Shaowei the brightest star?
- Shaowei shines at magnitude 4.60 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Shaowei?
- Shaowei is approximately 359 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 359 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Shaowei?
- Shaowei is part of Camelopardalis.
- Can everyone see Shaowei?
- It is a deep-northern star: easy from Europe, North America and northern Asia, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 19°S.
- Is dedicating Shaowei an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Shaowei 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.