Back to NASL Home

Frequently Asked Questions

Name A Star Live is brought to you by Space Services, Inc.— the world leader in public participation space missions.

FAQ Categories
Name A Star Facebook
About Name A Star Live ...

What is Name A Star Live?

Name A Star Liftoff
Legacy Flight liftoff

Name A Star Live is an aerospace company that provides a unique name-a-star product:

  • You name a star.
  • We provide you with a personalized certificate bearing the name of your star.
  • We launch your star name into Earth orbit on board a rocket carrying a scientific or commercial satellite. After the launch we e-mail you a Launch Certificate, certifying your participation in the mission.
  • If you purchase one of our Deluxe, Framed or Ultimate Gift Sets, we also provide you the opportunity to view your star, live, via a telescope that's connected to the Internet: We are the only name-a-star company that provides this service.
  • In short, we make star naming REAL!

Can I arrange for a personalized anniversary, graduation, birthday or memorial gift?

Yes: Many of our customers name stars as unique anniversary, graduation, birthday, memorial, Bar Mitzvah, or employee recognition gifts. You personalize the gift by naming the star and by including a brief personal message on the Star Certificate.

Do people name stars for Christmas, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day or Father's Day?

Yes: Name A Star Live is a popular holiday gift.

Can I really name a star after a person? Can I buy a star? Will my star name be officially recognized?

Clearly, you cannot buy a star. The stars belong to all of us or none of us, whichever you prefer, and they are not for sale. Naming a star is a symbolic gift idea which obviously does not involve any legal title/ownership. Our register is not used by the scientific community although it is a perfectly valid register. Scientists refer to stars only by their astronomical coordinates, catalog number, or in few cases by commonly-used names, such as "Polaris," the North Star. In referring to and listing stars by name — the name you choose — we have created a symbolic and personal rather than astronomically significant listing.

What is a gift set?

A "Gift Set" is the mechanism you use to name a star. We have several different gift sets to choose from that fit your interests and budget. We offer free delivery via Priority Mail within the United States. Our Instant Gift Set is delivered by e-mail immediately upon purchase. We also offer express delivery (for an additional fee).

 Back to Top  


Can you provide an example of a star name and message?

When you buy a star through our on-line shopping cart you will be asked to provide a name for your star, to designate for whom the star is named, to write a message, etc. People usually name stars using the gift recipient's first name, full name, or nickname -- how you name the star is completely up to you. For example, you might name a star "William," "William Smith," or "Bill." Here's a full example:

Star Certificate
Star Certificate
Click to enlarge

Star Name Registration

Choose Star Name: (max 25 char.): Alice
Registration Date: (m/d/yyyy): 3/2/2010
In Honor Of: (max 30 char.): Our 25th Anniversary
Constellation: Andromeda

Message to recipient

To: Alice
Message: (max 200 char. including spaces): No matter what, we will always be under one sky together. Thanks for the best 25 years of my life. I look forward to many more. Happy Silver Anniversary. I love you ALWAYS and FOREVER.
From: Tom

Click here for some more examples of star messages.


What are constellations? Can I choose the constellation for my star?


Just as a state or province clearly specifiies a particular area of a nation, a constellation clearly specifies a particular area of the night sky. You can choose which constellation in which your star is located from the following list: Andromeda, Aquarius, Aries, Cancer, Capricorn, Cassiopeia, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Orion, Pisces, Sagittarius, Scorpius, Taurus, Ursa Major and Virgo.


What constellations can I see from my location on Earth?


Our World Constellation Guide shows which Name A Star Live constellations you can see and what time of the year you can see them.

 Back to Top  

 

How can I find my star in the night sky?

View your star through a telescope

With your Star Chart, Virtual Planetarium™ astronomy software, and/or a planisphere constellation finder (all available from Name A Star Live), you can easily find the general location of your star in the night sky. First, using Virtual Planetarium and/or a planisphere, find your star's constellation in the night sky. (Note that different constellations are visible at different times of the year, and that some constellations are visible from some parts of the world, but not from others: See our World Constellation Guide.) Once you locate your constellation, use your Star Chart to find your star's position relative to the very brightest stars in your constellation.

Only a relative handful of stars are visible to the naked eye. The stars in our register are outside naked eye visibility. Therefore, to view the star you will need a telescope. This is one of the reasons we offer the SLOOH online telescope service with our Deluxe and Ultimate Gift Sets (only). Your Star Certificate and Star Chart display the star's astronomical coordinates that can be used with SLOOH or with automated ("go to") telescopes to find your star. Also, you might consider approaching a local planetarium or astronomy club to ask for their expert assistance.

How can I find my star in Google Earth?

Follow these steps to find your star in Google Earth:

  • Download the Google Earth software to your computer.
  • Once you open the software you'll see a row of icons in the toolbar at the top of the screen. Click on the icon that looks like the planet Saturn.
  • From the drop-down menu, choose "Sky."
  • You should see some stars and constellation names appear on your computer screen.
  • Toward the upper, left-hand corner of your screen you should see two tabs under the word "Search." Choose the "Location Search" tab.
  • Now you'll need to enter the astronomical coordinates of your star, specifically, the star's "Right Ascension" and "Declination," which you'll find on your Name A Star Live Star Certificate.
  • You'll need to convert the Right Ascension (RA) and Declination (DEC) values from your Star Certificate into a format Google Earth can understand. This is really easy to do! Here's an example:
    • Suppose your star has Right Ascension 5h 8m 39s and Declination 3° 48' 33".
    • Then convert that format into 5:8:39,3:48:33
    • Note that there are no spaces between any of the numbers or other characters.
    • Also note that you must list the Right Ascension value first, followed by the Declination value.
    • Now, just enter 5:8:39,3:48:33 into the box for "Location Search" and click on the magnifying glass icon (or just hit "Enter" on your keyboard).
    • Google Earth will then zero in on your star.
  • Note that some stars are not visible in Google Earth. In this case, Google Earth will zero in on a black area of space.

Can I pick a particular star, or otherwise have my star meet some special astronomical requirement?

Yes, you can pick a particular star or specify that your star meet some special astronomical requirement (such as stellar magnitude), but customization fees or other surcharge fees will apply. Please contact us for details and to make arrangements.

What if I live in the southern hemisphere?

We ship all around the world, including the southern hemisphere. We have a special Web page for our friends in Australia and New Zealand. If you live elsewhere in the southern hemisphere, be sure to check out our world constellation guide to pick a constellation (area of the night sky) that you can see from your location.

 Back to Top  

What are star catalogs?

Star catalogs are lists of stars. Over the centuries, astronomers have devised various different star catalogs/listings. They refer to stars by catalog numbers, astronomical coordinates, or in a few cases by commonly-used names, such as "Polaris" -- the North Star. Our register refers to stars by your chosen name, and is thus personal rather than scientific.

Are stars named more than once in your database?

A star is named only once in our database. The name that you have chosen will be included in our database and launched into space as part of our Earth-orbiting "Celestial Archive." Click here to see the schedule for our next launch.


Can the star I've named be named in another company's database?

No one (or everyone) owns the stars — choose your viewpoint. There are over a hundred different scientific registers that catalog stars. Each refers to stars independently. A non-scientific database of star names is no different. Even though there are millions of stars, a star in any company's register/database could be referred to by another name in another company's register/database.

What is SLOOH?

Online telescope
SLOOH Observatory, Canary Islands

SLOOH is an online telescope service that allows anyone with Internet access to view stars, planets and other celestial objects through world-class telescopes located in observatories around the world. Name A Star Live is the only name-a-star company to offer SLOOH.


Which of your gift sets include SLOOH?


SLOOH is included in all of our Deluxe, Framed, and Ultimate Gift Sets. SLOOH is not included in our Instant or Star Bear Gift Sets.


How do I find my star with SLOOH? Do I have to be an experienced astronomer to use SLOOH?


For those who purchase a Deluxe, Framed or Ultimate Gift Set, we include detailed instructions on using SLOOH to view one's star. It's easy to do, and no astronomical experience is required.


Is my star visible through SLOOH now?

Different constellations are visible at different times of the year. Click here to see when each of our constellations is visible through SLOOH.

 Back to Top  


If I can see my star through SLOOH now, can I also see my star through my own telescope now?

Maybe: When (or even if) you can see a particular star with your own telescope depends not just on the time of year and the optical characteristics of your telescope, but also on your location on Earth. A star visible from one of the SLOOH telescopes may not be visible in your part of the world at the same time -- or at all. To find out what Name A Star Live constellations are visible from your part of the world, visit our blog for a guide to this month's starry skies.

Have any other star-naming companies launched their star names? Do any of them offer SLOOH?

Launch Certificate
Launch Certificate
Click to enlarge

No, we are the only star-naming company that launches star names into space and offers SLOOH.


What do you launch, and how do you launch it?

Were an aerospace company that got into the name-a-star business: We take the star names and the personal messages on our customers' Star Certificates, save that data onto a computer chip, and launch the chip into space. We fly our "Celestial Archive" on board rockets launched from a variety of locations around the world.


Where do the spacecraft go?

The spacecraft are launched on orbital and suborbital missions. Orbital missions fly around the Earth. Suborbital missions fly briefly into space and return to Earth. We also have plans to fly to the Moon and into deep space.


When and where is the next launch?

Click here for information on upcoming launches.


Do your spacecraft create orbital debris pollution?

Space Services' spacecraft are carefully designed so as not to create orbital debris. Our Earth-orbiting spacecraft stay permanently attached to rocket stages that orbit until they harmlessly re-enter and are completely consumed by Earth’s atmosphere. Of course, suborbital flights are designed to fly briefly in space and return to Earth intact.

For missions which are launched aboard a commercially purchased launcher, the Office of Commercial Space Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration issues a license which verifies that the Space Services payload does not contribute to orbital debris. For missions not subject to FAA approval, Space Services voluntarily follows the same guidelines which prevent orbital pollution from its missions.


How long will Earth-orbiting Space Services spacecraft stay in Earth orbit?

The length of orbital stay depends on the final altitude of the primary satellite launched on the mission. Space Services' spacecraft is a “secondary payload” aboard each mission. For previous spaceflights conducted by the Space Services team the orbital life span ranged from two years to several hundred years.


How often do you launch?

We launch about once or twice a year, although we expect to launch more frequently in the near future.

 Back to Top  

 
 
Website Builder
Authorize.net Merchant All Major Credit Cards Accepted McAfee SECURE sites help keep you safe from identity theft, credit card fraud, spyware, spam, viruses and online scams  
 
For assistance please call us toll-free: 1-866-7 ROCKET (1-866-776-2538) or 1-281-971-4019 
© 2004-2012 Space Services Inc. All rights reserved.