Just a few years ago, giving a star seemed like something out of science fiction, and was available only to a select circle of people. However, the future has arrived, and now not only millionaires, but also ordinary people can afford such gifts. How to name a star after a girl? To do this, you don’t have to go somewhere, contact astronomers and stand in long lines. The service is available online, and you can easily select a celestial body, give it the name of your loved one and wait for our operators to contact you to clarify the details.
In addition, you can purchase a star at a very affordable price: there are several types of gift sets from which you can choose, from economy class to diamond offer. Our company offers you to purchase a star in any part of the sky, you can even choose a star visible to the naked eye.
Such unusual gift will be the best confirmation of your feelings and will be appreciated by the girl.
A star can be given not only on an engagement or wedding day, but also as a gift original gift for Valentine's Day or for your beloved's birthday. And confirmation of your words will be the registration of the name in the official international register and a certificate confirming this.
If you are interested, how to name a star by your name, our consultants will help you quickly resolve this issue. Just enter your contact information and within a few minutes you will be contacted to clarify the details.
Of course, the star will not become your property, but it will have your name, which will be officially registered in the international astronomical register and will remain with it forever. Even your distant descendants will know for sure that one of the stars sparkling in the sky bears the name of their ancestor. So buying a star is a kind of investment in the future, which will give you the opportunity to say hello to your great-grandchildren.
In addition, you can give a star not only to a person. It can be a wonderful gift for your company and will be a unique symbol of the company.
Often stars are given not to adults, but to newborns, and the star becomes a talisman that sparkles from the sky, illuminating the way. Young families can also receive their own star as a gift - this will be a wonderful symbol of the inviolability of their union and sincere, pure feelings. After all, marriages are made in heaven.
The unexpected find caused a bit of a stir in the astronomical community. Not in space - on Earth, scientists have discovered a company with a very familiar name and a strange business: trading in the names of stars. In the blog of the famous astrophysicist and popularizer of science Sergei Popov, a discussion began: perhaps scientists will sue RosCosmos - the company’s website contains very real names of active astronomers.
Formally, RosCosmos does not promise any ownership rights, but only provides the opportunity to name a star, issues a certificate for a “new name” and registration in the “International catalog of celestial bodies “Russian Star Catalog”” - apparently created only to sell positions in this catalogue.
Accommodation prices (with a discount) start from 1,170 rubles, a neutron star can be “named” for 89,900, a galaxy for 121,900, a supermassive black hole for 199,900, and an exoplanet for 888,000 rubles. These amounts apparently do not bother worthy buyers: the website presents an impressive gallery of Russian show business stars, athletes and politicians - certificate holders.
Photo: roskocmoc.ru B telephone conversation with PublicPost, a RosCosmos representative explained: “The service consists of the fact that the satellite takes pictures of celestial bodies and their coordinates every day. These celestial bodies have their own codes - and instead of this code, you have the right to call them by name. We have an international catalogue. Several of their own catalogs are published in Russia, but they have certain databases of coordinates that are agreed upon with us. (...) There are, of course, certain scammers from the CIS countries on the Internet who have no idea what they are confirming, their coordinates are not clear. (…) The price depends on the magnitude. We were the last to register the fourth value for the LDPR party - there are only two of them left, at least those that can be observed from Russia, from the northern hemisphere.”
Among the “friends of the company” on the RosCosmos website are listed very real and respected enterprises of Roscosmos, institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences, for example, the Sternberg State Astronomical Institute, and dozens of observatories from around the world. A random survey of the scientists mentioned in the list showed that they were not even aware of this friendship. Sergei Popov, a leading researcher at the Sternberg State Astronomical Institute, did not hide his indignation in a conversation with PublicPost: “Mimicry of the Russian Space Agency and gratitude to astronomical institutions that have acted and continue to act as consistent opponents of this kind of business look like a deception of potential clients, and are perceived by the astronomical community like a sophisticated mockery."
This opinion is also shared by the lawyer of the Society for the Protection of Consumer Rights Andrey Semenov. He believes that the activities of RosCosmos fall under Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which defines fraud as “theft by deception or abuse of trust.” Fraud can also consist of passive deception - failure to report facts that could deter the buyer from the transaction. “Everything is presented like this,” Semenov explained, “as if it were an official organization operating within the framework of some international structure, there is no hint that the name from the point of view of astronomy will not mean anything. If you ask, they, of course, disown Roscosmos, too, and other things - but 98% of consumers will not ask: it’s written...
They declare membership in the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Nizhny Novgorod region and even provide a certificate. The certificate indicates the name of a certain legal entity that has nothing to do with RosCosmos - a certain LLC PO Salus. In the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, there is indeed such an LLC, but the area of activity is indicated quite clearly: organization of recreation and entertainment, culture and sports. Therefore, any further reasoning is not very appropriate here: it is clear that people take money for nothing."
The company itself does not see anything special in the similarity of names. “Roscosmos is doing completely different things. Roscosmos has 135 companies that launch satellites... We are not Roscosmos,” explains a RosCosmos representative. We were unable to obtain an immediate comment from the press service of Roscosmos itself.
So is it possible to truly buy a star named after yourself or a couple of hectares of the lunar surface? The answer to this question is not so simple: existing legislation does not provide for such a tricky case. But difficult does not mean impossible.
Legislation on space and space objects appeared already in the first years of flights into low-Earth orbit. The key Outer Space Treaty came into force in 1967, and today more than a hundred states have acceded to it. In subsequent years, it was supplemented by several new conventions - including on the registration of all launched objects and on liability for damage that they may cause. Some specific space projects and aspects of space activities are governed by special interstate agreements, such as the ISS Agreement signed by Russia, the United States, Canada, Japan and ESA member countries. It is also worth mentioning national legislation: in Russia, for example, the Federal Law “On Space Activities” has been in force since 1993.
None of these documents contain a formal prohibition on the acquisition of ownership of “six hundred square meters” somewhere on the Moon or on Mars. The 1967 Outer Space Treaty only states that “outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, is not subject to national appropriation.” Nothing is said about private ownership, but this does not prevent the creators of the famous Lunar Embassy and their many colleagues around the world from making money not even out of thin air, but literally from the vacuum of space. Lunar Embassy offers "vacant" sites on the Moon and Mars for sale, and tens of thousands of people from different countries(including Russia) amuse their vanity by acquiring certificates of ownership - in fact, meaningless examples of typographic skill.
The absence of a direct ban on the right of property de jure does not mean the emergence of this right de facto. First, it must be stipulated by civil law, which requires corresponding changes in national legislation. However, the legislation of all countries party to the Outer Space Treaty cannot provide for such norms, because this would contradict the prohibition of national appropriation of celestial bodies prescribed in it.
RosCosmos operates differently - this company sells not the surface, but the names of stars and distant exoplanets. But in this area there are generally accepted rules and regulations. Only one organization in the world deals with issues of naming celestial bodies - the International Astronomical Union (IAU), an entirely non-profit association.
The Union has more than once expressed its attitude to this issue: such “names” do not have any formal or official meaning. Some bright stars retain their ancient traditional names, while others are designated by a catalog number and position in the sky. The same rules apply to star clusters and galaxies. "How real love and other wonderful things in our lives, the beauty of the night sky is not for sale,” the IAU message sums up, “Everyone can enjoy it and it’s completely free.”
At the beginning of the 21st century, getting a star from the sky for your beloved is not difficult. You enter the request “Buy a star” into a search engine and receive dozens of similar offers.
The first among them is a site whose name coincides with the name of the Russian space agency.
“Right now you can give a name to the as yet unnamed Star!” the advertisement shouts. — And in memory of the registration of a new name in the sky, you can choose original souvenir, whose sophisticated and noble design will decorate any interior long years. Name a Star in space after the person you love! An original, unforgettable, eternal gift!”
The company offers, as it states, “the official renaming of stars in space with the name of your choice.”
As proof, photographs of numerous certificate holders are provided, whose names are now stars - Mikhail Boyarsky,Sergey Lazarev, Vera Brezhneva, Valeria, Maksim Galkin, Andrey Arshavin and others.
Quasar for 170 thousand
“No organization in the world has the right to sell stars, since stars are not anyone’s property,” the website says. “We offer an official star NAME Registration service, and do not sell stars or other celestial objects.”
The company also strongly advises to “beware of scammers.” All data on renamed stars is published in the International Catalog of Celestial Bodies.
For renaming a 15th magnitude star they are asking only 1,465 rubles, for a “hypergiant star” - 81,053 rubles, and for a quasar - 170,066 rubles.
There are more than enough people willing. From time to time there are reports that stars have received the name of either a certain show business figure or a federal media outlet.
After this, the ranks of celebrity buyers only increase. But is it really possible to name a star by your own name?
How the Moon was sold
The history of “space trade” dates back to 1980. California resident Dennis Hope drew attention to the fact that natural extraterrestrial space objects do not officially belong to anyone. According to his interpretation, the law prohibits the ownership of stars and planets only by states and corporations, but for private individuals, he believes, there is no such prohibition. Taking advantage of his interpretation of the law, Dennis Hope declared himself the owner of all space objects solar system, except the Earth and the Sun.
Today, plots on the Moon and other planets have already been sold to more than 4 million people on Earth. Among the owners are movie stars and politicians - Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tom Cruise, George Bush and others.
There are other companies trading in the Moon, and competition between them is extremely intense.
And in the 1990s, this business developed in the form of “renaming stars.”
In fact, the owners of the “lunar plots” only had beautiful pieces of paper to please their vanity.
According to UNOOSA General Assembly Resolution 2222 (XXI) of 1966, outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, is not subject to national appropriation, either by declaration of sovereignty over it, or by use or occupation, or by any other means. Therefore, lunar land certificates are not legally binding.
“The naming process is not related to commercial transactions.”
What about the names of the stars?
There is such an organization - the International Astronomical Union (IAU). Created in 1919, the union unites 73 states and 10,886 individual members.
The International Astronomical Union is recognized as the highest international authority on astronomical issues requiring cooperation and standardization, such as the official naming of astronomical bodies and the parts on them. The IAU also promotes astronomical observations in developing countries.
Many celebrity name traders claimed to be operating with the knowledge of the IAU. Tired of questions from angry citizens, “We named the star after ourselves, why do you call it anything else?”, astronomers published an explanatory article on their official website in 2009.
“The International Astronomical Union often receives applications from people who want to buy or name a star after another person. Some companies provide such services for money. However, such names do not have any formal or official legal force: a few bright stars have ancient, traditional Arabic names, but the rest have only catalog numbers and positions in the sky. The same applies to star clusters and galaxies. Special procedures for assigning official names apply to solar system bodies. But in any case, the process of naming astronomical objects is in no way connected with any commercial transactions.”
“An expensive piece of paper and a temporary feeling of happiness”
“The names adopted by the IAU are recognized and used by scientists, space agencies and authorities around the world,” the scientists continue to explain. — When observing stars and planets, launching space missions to solar system objects, or reporting about them in the news, you need to know exactly what position in the sky corresponds to given name. In this case, the names adopted by the IAU are used. These rules apply where property claims can theoretically be made, which is primarily in the Solar System (where UN treaties also apply). Earth's legislators have more urgent things to do than create rules for purchasing completely inaccessible corners of infinite space, so there are no documents that can be misinterpreted."
“We are a scientific organization and not part of the entertainment industry,” the International Astronomical Union said in a clarification. “We cannot distribute the contact information of entrepreneurs selling fictitious goods.”
“But excuse me,” the attentive reader will be indignant. “But I myself have heard about small planets named after artists, writers and scientists!”
This is true. The International Astronomical Union allows naming famous people asteroids and minor planets of the solar system. But this has nothing to do with money.
A newly discovered minor planet receives its own individual number in the catalog, to which a proper name can then be added.
The right to propose a name is usually granted to the scientists who discovered the celestial body. If the proposal is accepted and approved, the planet officially changes its name. Once again, we are not talking about trade.
That is, if you are an Olympic champion, a scientific luminary or a movie star, you have a chance to have a planet named after you. Otherwise, alas, not enough.
But what does someone who buys a renaming of a star actually get?
As the astronomers themselves ironically say, “you get an expensive piece of paper and a temporary feeling of happiness.”
As long as braggarts live in the world...
Scientists jokingly suggest thinking about one more incident: perhaps, somewhere on another inhabited planet, the same company at this very moment is selling the name of the star for which you have acquired a certificate. What a disaster!
One could laugh at all this, but sometimes it becomes not funny at all. For example, in 2014, Russian astronomers clutched their heads when a certificate for a “name star” was given to an actor Ivan Okhlobystin presented at... the Moscow Planetarium. It is clear that this does not contribute to the popularization of astronomy as a serious science.
There are also very sad things. In 2008, a young and talented Russian hockey player died Alexey Cherepanov. And soon the media reported that a 13th magnitude star in the constellation Auriga was named in honor of Alexei Cherepanov. She received the name “Star Cherie” after one of the hockey player’s nicknames. The star's certificate was placed in the Alexey Cherepanov Museum, which is located on the ice arena where the Omsk Avangard, for which the hockey player played, performs.
Honoring the memory of an athlete with such a souvenir is not the best good option. And it’s really sad that few journalists paid attention to this.
Of course, this material will not bring all the vain to reason. But remember that when buying a certificate to rename a star for yourself or for loved one, you buy a paper souvenir, similar to the comic “Identification of a Veteran of the Alcohol Front.”
The only difference is that the latter will cost less.
And the sellers of star names continue to hum the song: “As long as braggarts live in the world, we must glorify our destiny!”
There is a commission under the International Astronomical Union authorized to name the surface of celestial bodies or the bodies themselves. Or rather, approve the proposed names. A tradition has developed: the first three observers who report the discovery of a celestial body have the right to suggest what to name the celestial body. So the commission brings the names “to the same denominator” and makes sure that decency is maintained: there are plenty of jokers among scientists and amateurs...
An international team of astronomers - the IAU - ensures that people get to the sky worthy people. Usually, the names of already deceased people are assigned, and the name of the object is approved no earlier than 3 years after the death of the person - so that an objective attitude towards his personality can be formed.
As an exception, the names of living people are used if there are undoubted merits: for example, some craters on the moon are named in honor of cosmonauts and astronauts.
After the 1917 revolution in Russia, they tried to call the red Antares the Star of the Great October Revolution; didn’t take root. Approximately the same tradition has developed with the names of asteroids... Basically, new asteroids are discovered by professional astronomers, since this requires large telescopes. The asteroid is assigned a serial number and, at the request of the discoverer, can be assigned.
Who's who in heaven
It is customary to assign names of people to the celestial bodies of the solar system. A part of a planet or an asteroid can also be named after a person: valleys, craters, mountains.
Thus, craters on the moon are named after astronomers and other natural scientists.
Almost all the titles on Venus are dedicated to women - both mythical and real.
And when asteroids were discovered at the beginning of the 19th century, they also began to be given mythological names - Ceres, Pallas, Juno, Vesta... But more and more asteroids were discovered, there were not enough divine names, and they began to be given the names of people who had passed away but left their good mark in human history, and those still alive, but, of course, worthy.
Women's question
Astronomers are most often men. They are often gallant, therefore, starting to name asteroids female names, they did not change tradition. They even remade it
Domains www. and www. These are the first domains in the world to have two stars named after them. Both stars are located in the constellation Pisces (Pisces). male name in a feminine way: this is how, for example, Edison, Vladilena (in honor of V.I. Lenin), Simeiz appeared (there is a famous observatory in the Crimean Simeiz). However, recently this tradition has been abandoned and the names of asteroids have become more euphonious: Euclid, Stravinsky, Vivaldi, Clapton, Van Gogh.
First and comets
What are comets called? The situation is a little different. These huge blocks of frozen gases fly to the Sun from afar and begin to evaporate intensely, giving astronomers a rare opportunity and very little time to study the oldest matter of the Universe, once frozen in the comet’s nucleus.
If you miss this opportunity, the comet will rush past the Sun and go into the distance forever.
Therefore, in order to stimulate the search for comets and not miss a single one, they are given the names of their discoverers. Often these are amateur astronomers who are ready to spend thousands of nights at the telescope in order to benefit science and, of course, leave their name in it.
What can be named after a person - Justin Bieber and others
Paul Rendelman is a 34-year-old amateur astronomer who loves both Space and Justin's music. In July of this year, Paul was incredibly lucky: he discovered a small planet located relatively close to the solar system.
Paul Rendelman said that if his discovery is officially recognized, he will name the new celestial body Bieber, in honor of his favorite musical artist. Usually, open celestial objects are called by their own names or the names of relatives. But, apparently, Paul felt that his love for Justin's music was much stronger.
In honor of the Honored Artist of the Russian Federation and the first presenter of the program “What? Where? When?" named asteroid No. 5245, discovered by the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory.
John Lennon, leader of the cult group The Beatles, also went to heaven. A lunar crater and asteroid No. 4147 were named after him.
