Orion the Hunter: Star of the Heavens

In terms of popularity and recognition, only one other group of stars rivals the Big Dipper: the constellation of Orion. Few other constellations have been so documented or discussed.

gyptian culture viewed the constellation as a celestial light show, part of a greater tribute to Osiris, the god of the afterlife. However, the constellation gets its Western name from its roots in ancient Greek mythology, which imagines the figure of a hunter named Orion, complete with belt, sword, and two hunting dog companions named Canis Major and Canis Minor.

The fascination with Orion persists to this day, where scientists continue to discover new and exciting facts about our universe’s most famous constellation. According to Professor James B. Kaler, one of the minor stars in Orion, HR 1988, has two enormous planets orbiting it—one of them almost the size of Jupiter, the other about 12 times bigger.

Names like HR 1988 are common among stars because creative names are impractical for scientific purposes. However, it’s possible to rename a star, albeit not officially. With the help of name-a-star companies, you can symbolically buy someone a star, and give it a truly memorable name.