Can you really Name a Star at No Cost?
Astronomical names are determined by the International Astronomical Union. All stars are given a number and only a few stars have historical names. FreeNameAStar.com and all other star naming services cannot officially name a star. All we can do is collect the assigned names and record them. You can read an article about this in Wired Magazine.
Remember that there is no official agency, government or institution that will name a star. All star naming companies do the same thing. They just record the name you give them in there own database. Some of them submit a book of star names to the US Copyright office, but that does not mean that the name is official or recognized as the real or only name of a star by any legitimate official organization. Don't be fooled.
Our free stars were just as valid as the ones that people pay hundreds of dollars for.
If you don't have the Free Adobe Reader, please download and install it now.
Please be aware that your star will be indexed by Google and other search engines. Do not enter anything here that would embarrass you or someone else. Once the search engines have the information it is nearly impossible to hide it again. Use the "Secret" setting below if you do not want your star information to appear in searches.
The Star's New Name
Your Name
Your Email
Repeat Email
You must have a valid email in order to record a star. You will be sent a confirmation message with the validation link.
Your Dedication
The text will work with English/Latin alphabets only.
Your Password (in order to make changes)
Repeat Password
Your star will be visible to search engines so be careful what you say.
Stars that contain obscene, unpleasant, abusive or hateful language will be disemvoweled. Spam will be removed.
If you have any problems with FreeNameAStar.com or you are not completely satisfied, please Contact the Webmaster and include the Star Number or any other information that you have about the star. I will delete the record and free the star up so another may record it.
Frequently Asked Questions
These are real questions that I get all the time.
1) I get a blank screen when I try to view my certificate.
This is the #1 problem with FreeeNameAStar. The certificates are very large (up to 800k). This is done to get as much detail in the certificate as possible. This can take several minutes on dial up or slow lines. I find that the Adobe Reader gets confused trying to read the file and just shows a blank screen. The only thing to do is to close all of your browser windows and then try again. Some times it takes a reboot to un-stick the Adobe Reader. If you try a reboot and you still have this problem, please notify me so that I can delete your star and refund any extras that you have purchased. The certificates work. I can't fix your computer.
2) How can you officially Record a Star?
I can't. There has been no star given an official name in recent history. There is no official star naming service or authority that sells star names. Only the International Astronomical Union officially names celestial objects and except for some older recognized stars, stars are no longer named, but numbered. Here is what the IAU says:
Any company can name any star whatever you want but it will mean nothing except to you and that company. Naming stars is another money making scheme to feed on the emotions of decent people. Therefore, if your family would like to name a star in the memory of a lost one, there is regretfully nothing "official" you can do. But that is no reason to stop you!!
Please don't spend money on expensive star naming packages. The small amount of money that I make on extras supports the web site by paying the hosting fees as well as providing an occasional beer for me. FreeNameAStar.com is interesting, fun, and even educational, but it is not official.
3) Can you mail me my certificate?
No. I don't want to try and figure out the postage, especially overseas. The reason that FreeNameAStar is free is that you print out the certificate yourself.
4) I made a mistake. Can you make a change for me?
I won't make the change, but you can. There is a link on your star information page to Edit Star Data. You need to put in your correct email address and your password for it to work.
5) I made a mistake and I can't remember my password. Can you make a change for me?
There is a link on your Star Information page to mail yourself your password. Then you can make the change.
6) I have not received my confirmation email.
The confirmation email is mailed immediately, so you should receive it in seconds. Hotmail, yahoo and other big email sites often put the confirmation in the spam folder. Check your spam folder. If you have misspelled your email address there is nothing that I can do. Unconfirmed stars are deleted every few days. All I can do is suggest that you try again. Almost half of the attempted records use a bogus or invalid email.
7) My star says that it is in the astrological house of Aries, but when I look at the map it is in the constellation Pisces.
The astrological houses were determined over 1,000 years ago. Due to the wobble of the Earth, the stars have different positions in the sky. Astrology is not a science so they didn't keep up. The astrological signs no longer have any real connection to the Astronomical constellations.
8) I purchased extras, but I don't like the star that I received. I'd like to change it to another one.
Just let me know and I'll refund your purchase. You can try again and get a better star. Stars are issued on a first come first serve basis and the brighter stars are issued first.
9) Can I record a double star or two stars close together?
Stars come in the order of the database. I have not had time to pick and choose stars and locations. It would require a few days programming for only a very few requests.
10) Can I record a Star with a specific SAO number?
I haven't programmed a way to do that and probably won't get to it.
11) I asked a question and did not receive an answer.
I am on the computer eight to ten hours a day because of my job. I check my email every few hours. If I did not answer your email it is because I am asleep or sitting on a bus or spending time with my family. If a day has gone by, try again on the chance that I missed your message. I don't answer email from people who are obviously disturbed, so be careful how you phrase your questions.
12) I asked for a refund and I did not receive it.
Nag me! Yell at me! Call me names! Keep sending me emails. I try to check the computer several times a day, even on the weekend and evenings. I check my spam folders, but sometimes an email slips through the cracks. I don't want your money if you are unhappy. This site is interesting and fun and I will never get rich from it. I don't want or need to cheat anyone.
13) I like your technology. Will you tell me how to create a site just like yours and go into competition with you?
No. The technology is so simple that if you can't figure it out on your own that you'd never understand my explanation. I am not getting rich. I make about the equivalent of a case of beer every week or two. I don't need competition.
14) I recorded a star for my girlfriend, but I am married and my wife will find the star on Google. Can you tell Google not to tell anyone about the star?
Google and other search engines regularly go through the list of stars, so anything anyone says on my site can be found with the right Google search within minutes of you pressing the confirm button. I have a "secret star" option that hides all of your data, but unless you used that option when you recorded the star, you are out of luck. At best you can delete the star. The search engines will forget about you in a few months.
15) My crazy ex-girlfriend recorded a star in my name. How can I delete the star?
Only the person who recorded a star can delete the star. Take her out to dinner, be nice to her, pretend you still liker her, and then if ask her nicely, she might do it.
16) Who are you?
I am Keith P. Graham. I am a Computer Programmer, Science Fiction writer, College Teacher, and a Harmonica Player. You can read my blog at Keith Graham's Wanderings. You can read about harmonicas at JT30.com. You can read my fiction at a variety of magazines. You can take my course in Web Site Design at Rockland Community College in Suffern, NY. I live in upstate New York with my wife Erica and 6 nasty cats.