"No, you cannot buy or name a star through the International Astronomical Union (IAU). The IAU's mission is to promote and safeguard the science of astronomy in all its aspects, including research, education, and public outreach. This organization does not engage in the sale of star names."
Can You Name a Star Through the IAU?
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22 September 2025
How are Stars Officially Named?
The idea of buying and naming a star has become increasingly popular. It’s the perfect gift for your loved ones or even yourself, but is it actually possible to officially name a star through the International Astronomical Union (IAU)? The fact that you're researching this through the IAU shows that you understand their role in astronomy, as they are the recognized authority for naming celestial objects.
In this article, we'll explore whether purchasing a star name is possible with the IAU and what role they play in the world of astronomy. We hope you find this informative, get the answers to all your questions, and maybe even learn something extra.
What does the IAU do?
Even though the International Astronomical Union (IAU) might seem closely related to the idea of buying and naming stars, it does not provide such services. This is because the organization has a far more critical mission focused on the scientific study and classification of celestial objects.
Before discussing our main question, "Why is it not possible to name a star with the IAU?" let’s look at what the IAU does as an organization and its purpose:
Here are a few main points in a nutshell:
- The IAU is a global non-governmental organization whose mission is to advance astronomy. Within the international scientific community, it encourages astronomical research, education, and collaboration.
- The IAU has officially named just over 300 stars, particularly the brightest and most well-known. These names represent even less than 1% of all visible stars, and often originate from ancient traditions, such as Greek mythology.
- According to the IAU itself, organizing international meetings and conferences to bring together experts from various fields of astronomy to collaborate and share knowledge is one of its main tasks.
- IAU is in charge of internationally recognized names of celestial bodies. However, their work extends far beyond just stars, involving the naming of planets, moons, meteor showers, galaxies, and other astronomical objects, and naming celestial bodies is only a small part of their broader mission.
- While it is possible to propose a name for a star through the IAU, the process is highly complex and time-consuming. Only reputable astronomers can initiate this process, and they must demonstrate that the proposed name has historical or cultural significance related to the star.
- The vast majority of stars that lack proper names are assigned catalog numbers, such as HD 10180 or HIP 11767. The IAU explains that using structured catalog names simplifies managing the millions of stars in astronomical databases.
This has probably already clarified that it’s not possible to buy a star certificate from the IAU. However, if you still have questions or want to learn more, be sure to keep reading.
Why Doesn’t the IAU Offer to Buy and Name a Star?
We've established what the International Astronomical Union (IAU) does and that official star naming isn’t possible through them. But you might still be wondering why only a tiny portion of stars receive names, and why you can't simply pay to name one.
To conclude, if you're thinking of naming a star as a gift, the IAU isn't the right choice. They focus on scientific work, not commercial services, and don't provide the gift-oriented features like registration certificates, framed documents, or gift boxes.
But don’t get too frustrated - if you're still interested in star naming, there are reputable private services you can go to. In the next section, we'll explore these alternatives and explain how you can name a star through them.
Name a star with the International Star Database
By now, it’s clear that naming a star through the IAU, or any other official organization, isn’t possible. However, there are private services that use International Databases for this purpose.
These providers specialize in creating memorable star-naming gifts, offering beautifully crafted star registration certificates that make a lasting impression on the recipient. What’s more, they use the same star catalogs as the IAU, where most stars remain unnamed beyond their catalog designations.
Is Naming a Star Through Private Entities Legitimate?
After realizing that official star naming through the IAU or any other official organization isn’t possible, a common question arises: How can private companies offer this service, and what value does it hold?
Let’s break it down:
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No Official Star Naming: No official organization, including the IAU, offers a star-naming service. As a result, this becomes a matter for private entities to offer this.
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Legal and Permitted: Since no government organization has legal authority over star names, neither national nor international laws forbid these services. Because of this, it is completely legal; otherwise, these businesses would not be permitted to conduct business online or take payments in the first place.
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IAU Recognition: While your star name won’t be recognized by the IAU (which officially acknowledges only around 300 star names and catalog names), the IAU does not involve itself in naming stars for customers. Therefore, it neither recognizes nor rejects these private star-naming services.
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Real Stars, Real Catalogs: The stars you name are real celestial objects, with coordinates taken from the same official catalogs used by astronomers worldwide, meaning it’s a real star that can be located in the night sky.
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Limitations on Star Names: Only very few of the brightest stars have official IAU names. Reputable companies, like Label Stars, ensure that the stars available for naming are those without IAU-recognized names or existing customer names. For instance, we can’t offer the Northern Star (Polaris) for naming, as it already has a recognized name.
We understand that it might be disappointing that you can't name a star in the way you initially imagined. However, you can still name a star through reputable commercial online services. For example, Label Stars is a trusted star-naming company that offers a memorable gifting experience. To learn more about how to buy a star certificate, feel free to browse our blog post.
Conclusion
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Naming or buying a star through the IAU isn’t possible because it is a scientific organization focused on scientific research and celestial classification rather than commercial star naming.
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The IAU officially names a limited number of stars, around 300, based on historical or cultural significance, not personal requests or commercial transactions.
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Most stars are identified by catalog numbers (e.g., HD 342323) to ensure accuracy and consistency in astronomical records. This systematic approach helps astronomers maintain consistency and accuracy when tracking and studying the vast number of stars in the sky.
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Private companies offer star-naming services as a gift option, providing personalized star names and commemorative certificates. While these names are not officially recognized by the IAU, they are based on real star coordinates from reputable star databases.
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Be cautious of any company or service that claims to be affiliated with or certified by the IAU for star-naming. The IAU does not endorse or partner with commercial star-naming services, and such claims are often misleading.
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