The AsterNym star registry
Sika
Sika: the golden star of Sagittarius
golden · Sagittarius · HD 181720
Sika is a golden star, warmer-toned than our Sun in the constellation Sagittarius, one of the few thousand stars bright enough to carry an officially recognised name. It rewards a pair of binoculars on a clear night.
Most stars in the sky are anonymous points of light. Sika 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
Sika at a glance
- Constellation
- Sagittarius
- Other name
- HD 181720
- Catalogue number
- HIP 95262
- Distance
- ≈ 189 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 7.84 telescope
- Star type
- G1V
- Colour
- golden
- Best seen from
- The Southern Hemisphere and lower northern latitudes
- Right ascension
- 19h 22m 53s
- Declination
- −32° 55′ 09″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Sika dedication represent?
Sika 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 Sagittarius in the sky.”
Where can you see Sika?
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 57°N.
Sika belongs to Sagittarius.
Dedicate Sika to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Sika dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Sika's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Sika keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Sika
- Is Sika the brightest star?
- Sika shines at magnitude 7.84 — a binocular-and-telescope star, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Sika?
- Sika is approximately 189 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 189 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Sika?
- Sika is part of Sagittarius.
- Can everyone see Sika?
- 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 57°N.
- Is dedicating Sika an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Sika 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.