The AsterNym star registry
Tianji
Tianji: the yellow-white star of Hercules
yellow-white · Hercules · ζ Her
Tianji is a yellow-white star, a near cousin of our own Sun's colour in the constellation Hercules, 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. Tianji 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
Tianji at a glance
- Constellation
- Hercules
- Other name
- ζ Her
- Catalogue number
- HIP 81693
- Distance
- ≈ 35 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 2.80 naked-eye
- Star type
- F9IV
- Colour
- yellow-white
- Best seen from
- The Northern Hemisphere and lower southern latitudes
- Right ascension
- 16h 41m 17s
- Declination
- +31° 36′ 10″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Tianji dedication represent?
Tianji 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 Hercules in the sky.”
Where can you see Tianji?
It is easy to see from most of the Northern Hemisphere. It can also appear from lower southern latitudes, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 58°S.
Tianji belongs to Hercules.
Dedicate Tianji to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Tianji dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Tianji's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Tianji keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Tianji
- Is Tianji the brightest star?
- Tianji shines at magnitude 2.80 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Tianji?
- Tianji is approximately 35 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 35 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Tianji?
- Tianji is part of Hercules.
- Can everyone see Tianji?
- It is easy to see from most of the Northern Hemisphere. It can also appear from lower southern latitudes, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 58°S.
- Is dedicating Tianji an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Tianji 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.