Star naming companies compared
Start from the level playing field: no star naming company — us included — can sell an official star name. Only the International Astronomical Union assigns official designations, and it doesn't sell them. Every register is private and symbolic. So you are never comparing "how official" — you are comparing honesty, price, what you receive, and how long the register will outlive the gift.
The six questions that actually separate companies
- Do they tell you it's symbolic before you pay? Check the homepage, not the small print. A company that saves the truth for its terms page has already answered your most important question.
- Is the star identifiable? You should get a genuine catalogue reference (HIP or TYC number) and precise coordinates — not just a pretty chart. If you can't look the star up independently, what exactly was dedicated?
- Can anyone verify the entry? A register that's publicly checkable by registry number, at any time, is a register. One that exists only on your certificate is a printout.
- Is the star allocated once? Ask how they prevent the same star being sold twice. (Ours is allocated once, marked in the register, and never offered again.)
- What does delivery really cost, and how fast? Typical UK prices run £20–£45 plus postage, arriving in 3–7 days. Digital-first companies deliver in minutes. Full price breakdown here.
- What happens in ten years? Reprints, lost certificates, a moved house — is the record still reachable and are reprints free? Forever matters when the gift is forever.
How we answer our own questions
| Question | The Star Naming Co. |
|---|---|
| Symbolic, stated openly? | On the homepage, before any purchase — it's the brand |
| Identifiable star? | Hipparcos/Tycho-2 catalogue number + coordinates on every document |
| Publicly verifiable? | Any entry, any time, by registry number on our site |
| Allocated once? | Once, permanently — never resold |
| Price & speed | £9.99 in minutes · £19.99 printed pack posted free |
| In ten years? | Star page lives on; reprints free, forever |
Our honest advice, whoever you buy from
Read the company's own explanation of what star naming is before you pay. If it's clear, the gift will be honest. If it's hidden, so is your answer. Two of our pages might help with any seller: Is naming a star legit? and How star naming works.
£9.99 in minutes · £19.99 printed Gift Pack, posted free · honestly symbolic, genuinely theirs
Name a star ✦