The AsterNym star registry
Thuban
Thuban: the blue-white star of Draco
blue-white · Draco · α Dra
Thuban is a blue-white star — the colour of the hottest, youngest suns in the constellation Draco, 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. Thuban 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
Thuban at a glance
- Constellation
- Draco
- Other name
- α Dra
- Catalogue number
- HIP 68756
- Distance
- ≈ 303 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 3.65 naked-eye
- Star type
- A0 III
- Colour
- blue-white
- Best seen from
- The far northern sky
- Right ascension
- 14h 04m 23s
- Declination
- +64° 22′ 33″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Thuban dedication represent?
Thuban 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 Draco in the sky.”
Where can you see Thuban?
It is a deep-northern star: easy from Europe, North America and northern Asia, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 26°S.
Thuban belongs to Draco.
Dedicate Thuban to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Thuban dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Thuban's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Thuban keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Thuban
- Is Thuban the brightest star?
- Thuban shines at magnitude 3.65 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Thuban?
- Thuban is approximately 303 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 303 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Thuban?
- Thuban is part of Draco.
- Can everyone see Thuban?
- It is a deep-northern star: easy from Europe, North America and northern Asia, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 26°S.
- Is dedicating Thuban an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Thuban 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.