The AsterNym star registry
Sheliak
Sheliak: the blue star of Lyra
blue · Lyra · β Lyr
Sheliak is a blue star in the constellation Lyra, 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. Sheliak 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
Sheliak at a glance
- Constellation
- Lyra
- Other name
- β Lyr
- Catalogue number
- HIP 92420
- Distance
- ≈ 960 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 3.52 naked-eye
- Star type
- B8 II
- Colour
- blue
- Best seen from
- The Northern Hemisphere and lower southern latitudes
- Right ascension
- 18h 50m 05s
- Declination
- +33° 21′ 46″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Sheliak dedication represent?
Sheliak 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 Lyra in the sky.”
Where can you see Sheliak?
It is easy to see from most of the Northern Hemisphere. It can also appear from lower southern latitudes, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 57°S.
Sheliak belongs to Lyra.
Dedicate Sheliak to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Sheliak dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Sheliak's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Sheliak keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Sheliak
- Is Sheliak the brightest star?
- Sheliak shines at magnitude 3.52 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Sheliak?
- Sheliak is approximately 960 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 960 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Sheliak?
- Sheliak is part of Lyra.
- Can everyone see Sheliak?
- It is easy to see from most of the Northern Hemisphere. It can also appear from lower southern latitudes, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 57°S.
- Is dedicating Sheliak an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Sheliak 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.