The AsterNym star registry
Suhail
Suhail: the warm orange star of Vela
warm orange · Vela · λ Vel
Suhail is a warm orange giant, far along its stellar life in the constellation Vela, 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. Suhail 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
Suhail at a glance
- Constellation
- Vela
- Other name
- λ Vel
- Catalogue number
- HIP 44816
- Distance
- ≈ 545 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 2.21 naked-eye
- Star type
- K4 Ib
- Colour
- warm orange
- Best seen from
- The Southern Hemisphere and lower northern latitudes
- Right ascension
- 09h 07m 59s
- Declination
- −43° 25′ 57″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Suhail dedication represent?
Suhail 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 Vela in the sky.”
Where can you see Suhail?
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 47°N.
Suhail belongs to Vela.
Dedicate Suhail to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Suhail dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Suhail's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Suhail keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Suhail
- Is Suhail the brightest star?
- Suhail shines at magnitude 2.21 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Suhail?
- Suhail is approximately 545 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 545 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Suhail?
- Suhail is part of Vela.
- Can everyone see Suhail?
- 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 47°N.
- Is dedicating Suhail an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Suhail 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.