The AsterNym star registry
Shaula
Shaula: the blue star of Scorpius
blue · Scorpius · λ Sco
Shaula is a blue star in the constellation Scorpius, 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. Shaula 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
Shaula at a glance
- Constellation
- Scorpius
- Other name
- λ Sco
- Catalogue number
- HIP 85927
- Distance
- ≈ 570 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 1.63 naked-eye
- Star type
- B1.5 IV
- Colour
- blue
- Best seen from
- The Southern Hemisphere and lower northern latitudes
- Right ascension
- 17h 33m 37s
- Declination
- −37° 06′ 14″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Shaula dedication represent?
Shaula 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 Scorpius in the sky.”
Where can you see Shaula?
It is easy to see from much of the Southern Hemisphere. It can also appear from lower northern latitudes, but it never rises for observers north of about latitude 53°N.
Shaula belongs to Scorpius.
Dedicate Shaula to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Shaula dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Shaula's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Shaula keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Shaula
- Is Shaula the brightest star?
- Shaula shines at magnitude 1.63 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Shaula?
- Shaula is approximately 570 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 570 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Shaula?
- Shaula is part of Scorpius.
- Can everyone see Shaula?
- It is easy to see from much of the Southern Hemisphere. It can also appear from lower northern latitudes, but it never rises for observers north of about latitude 53°N.
- Is dedicating Shaula an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Shaula 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.