The AsterNym star registry
Tianbian
Tianbian: the warm orange star of Scutum
warm orange · Scutum · α Sct
Tianbian is a warm orange giant, far along its stellar life in the constellation Scutum, 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. Tianbian 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
Tianbian at a glance
- Constellation
- Scutum
- Other name
- α Sct
- Catalogue number
- HIP 91117
- Distance
- ≈ 199 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 3.83 naked-eye
- Star type
- K2III
- Colour
- warm orange
- Best seen from
- Almost everywhere on Earth
- Right ascension
- 18h 35m 12s
- Declination
- −08° 14′ 39″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Tianbian dedication represent?
Tianbian 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 Scutum in the sky.”
Where can you see Tianbian?
It sits near the celestial equator, so nearly every inhabited latitude gets a view of it at some point in the year.
Tianbian belongs to Scutum, where it is the brightest star.
Dedicate Tianbian to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Tianbian dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Tianbian's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Tianbian keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Tianbian
- Is Tianbian the brightest star?
- Tianbian shines at magnitude 3.83 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Tianbian?
- Tianbian is approximately 199 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 199 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Tianbian?
- Tianbian is the brightest star in Scutum.
- Can everyone see Tianbian?
- It sits near the celestial equator, so nearly every inhabited latitude gets a view of it at some point in the year.
- Is dedicating Tianbian an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Tianbian 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.