Preview — this is a sample dedication, shown so you can see what a dedicated star page looks like.
A dedicated star
Tarandus
warm orange · Cepheus · 2 UMi
Dedicated to
Maya
by Her sister, June · August 12, 2026
“You were born on the brightest night of my life. Whenever you feel small, remember: there is a star that has carried your name since before you could read it — and it is still up there, still burning, still yours.”
This dedication
- Dedicated to
- Maya
- Dedicated by
- Her sister, June
- Recorded
- August 12, 2026
- Held until
- August 12, 2027
When this dedication ends, Tarandus becomes available again. Want it? Put the date in your calendar.
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.
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.
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.