The AsterNym star registry
Tarandus
Tarandus: the warm orange star of Cepheus
warm orange · Cepheus · 2 UMi
Tarandus is a warm orange giant, far along its stellar life in the constellation Cepheus, 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. Tarandus 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
Tarandus at a glance
- Constellation
- Cepheus
- Other name
- 2 UMi
- Catalogue number
- HIP 5372
- Distance
- ≈ 280 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 4.22 naked-eye
- Star type
- K2II-III
- Colour
- warm orange
- Best seen from
- The far northern sky
- Right ascension
- 01h 08m 45s
- Declination
- +86° 15′ 26″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Tarandus dedication represent?
Tarandus 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 Cepheus in the sky.”
Where can you see Tarandus?
It is a deep-northern star: easy from Europe, North America and northern Asia, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 4°S.
Tarandus belongs to Cepheus.
Dedicate Tarandus to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Tarandus dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Tarandus's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Tarandus keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Tarandus
- Is Tarandus the brightest star?
- Tarandus shines at magnitude 4.22 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Tarandus?
- Tarandus is approximately 280 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 280 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Tarandus?
- Tarandus is part of Cepheus.
- Can everyone see Tarandus?
- It is a deep-northern star: easy from Europe, North America and northern Asia, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 4°S.
- Is dedicating Tarandus an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Tarandus 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.