Is star naming as a gift a sham?

[kirkster501]

My elderly in-laws have been given a present as a 60th wedding anniversary present of a star named in their honor by an outfit in Germany. It was bought for them by a well meaning (and wealthy) uncle. The star is in Leo Minor. Its by a company called the Star-Naming something (cannot remember the exact name) and mention is made of this star being entered into the International Naming Convention.

This sounds a complete crock of BS to me. Anyone comment? They have nice certificate and a frame to put it into. I am not going to say anything to them either way - just interested.

Rgds, Steve

[nephilim]

Load of nonsense mate im afraid.....Least the thought was there

[Vince1963]

Hi Steve.. I put a similar post up just after Christmas, But i can't for the life of me find it...But anyway i was in the same situation my daughter had bought me it for Christmas but i knew it was a con, But just let sleeping dogs lie, Some things are best kept that way, Its not worth the upset, But i'm afraid Steve it is a con...I think its called "name a star", But there all the same..

[JB80]

Considering it clearly states on most of the sites exactly what it is and what it isn't I wouldn't call it a sham.

[estwing]

rubbish, sponser an alien instead,much more rewarding..

[kirkster501]

Thanks guys. I thought as much! Anyway, as Vince says, I'll let it rest. Could cause more upset by bringing their attention to it. After all, if they want to believe the star is named in their honor then does no harm.

[reddoss]

It certainly is a scam. Most of these stars are 15th mag and below, so you can not even see them unless you have a professional class scope.

[kirkster501]

Here is the Star in their "honor" ! Dear me.....

[Adrian Condon]

Hi Steve,

The International Astronomical Union are the only body which designates star names or more correctly

numbers.

The least said the better!

Cheers

Adrian

[Vince1963]

Hey Steve, At least they'll be chuffed with it Eh.. So that's good right?

[JB80]

I have said it before and before people get carried away I think I'll say it again.

From time to time on SGL we get grieving family members who have had a star bought for somebody they have lost, it is an incredibly nice sentiment to make too. Sometimes members go out of their way to help them and even image that star which I think is a great mark of respect and at the least good PR for SGL and it's outstanding members.

There are no laws being broken and frankly I'm not planning to be the first person to tell a grieving Mother that this nice gesture from a friend is a load of tosh.

[John]

Well said Jarrod.

[nameunknown]

Same thing happened to me years ago. An ex GF "bought" me a star. Nice thought, nice certificate and just my luck if the thing went nova a week later (It didn't, but do they give a guarantee?). However, is this much different from selling real estate on the moon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraterrestrial_real_estate), naming minor planets after pop stars etc ("9007 James Bond").

I have a lump of depleted Uranium, and there are 92 lucky people who can have an electron from one of it's atoms named after them....

P

[Rosencratz]

There are no laws being broken and frankly I'm not planning to be the first person to tell a grieving Mother that this nice gesture from a friend is a load of tosh.

I don't think anyone here would want to either but that's not what the OP was really asking about.

Ultimately if awareness prevents well-wishing relatives from mistakenly being taken advantage of then that's good surely?

You can't want a company that makes it's money taking advantage of people to succeed because all of it's potential victims didn't know any better and it's "the thought that counts" because ultimately no one in receipt of the kind sentiment is going to prefer the money spent on a falsity over the actual thought... It is only the thought that counts after all.

[nameunknown]

Hi Steve,

The International Astronomical Union are the only body which designates star names or more correctly

numbers.

The least said the better!

Cheers

Adrian

...Try telling that to the Sirians!

EARTHMAN: "Welcome Sirians"

DFEWFDTt: "Our star is called "rfregergye" and has nothing to do with Syria

EARTHMAN: "But we have the IAU...."

DFEWFDTt::"Ok......and we have the accelerated hyper-nova inducer ... what is your star called?"

BETELGUSIAN: Don't tell him Pike!

[Kai]

I name stars all the time , so do my kids.

Who named them before the IAU ?

It's only a label , and as we all know labels can be changed

[Scott]

So its not official. so what. If it's made someone happy at a reasonable price then it's money well spent. I won't be rushing out to buy one but I won't be telling the kids santa isn't real either

[kirkster501]

So its not official. so what. If it's made someone happy at a reasonable price then it's money well spent. I won't be rushing out to buy one but I won't be telling the kids santa isn't real either

Agreed Scott and I take it in that sentiment. The issue is that someone is making money out of this where people think this is a 100% scientifically recognized process. The thing is, this is probably 100% legitimate since the star is indeed recognized by this "star naming convention", it just that this "convention" is just a meaningless mickey mouse body!

Anyway, my lips will be sealed. By father in law is as proud as punch as well with his "star".

[r3i]

I got one a few years ago from a well meaning relative - I knew it was a gimmick, and it clearly stated on the tin that it was a novelty item so I had no issue with it, but other people's circumstances can make these things problematic.

[Paul M]

It reminds me of Feynman's famous anecdote about his father teaching him about bird names.... about the difference between knowing the name of something and knowing something....

It may be a cheap money making trick. One that doesn't sit easy with me.

But on occasions I've looked up at the stars and cried. It is surely the Greatest Show On Earth. Such overbearing wonder that I don't even know the question let alone know the answer.

If having a "named " star gives someone reason to look up at the night sky and take comfort, feel something special or just share a wonderful sight then it's money well spent on their part.

On the other hand the recipient may question the authenticity of the "naming", feel it's cheap money making trick and screw up the certificate and bin it