2006-09-03 07:42:26 · 10 answers · asked by Gigi 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
There are a few companies that do this. The ONLY thing it means is that that particular entity will record your purchase in their catalogue and no one else will get to "buy" that slot in their catalogue (presumably they won't sell it to anyone else. How would you know?) This catalogue is not used by astronomers or anyone else, only by the company that "sold" the star. I suppose you might get a nice certificate and maybe some information about "your" star, but that is it. A waste of money, in my opinion, but that is up to you.
Here are a few of the companies:
http://www.starnamer.com
http://www.starregistry.com
http://www.nameastarspacelaunch.com
No doubt there are more. The International Star Registry was the entity I recall from 15 years ago.
I have story that cemented my opinion of these creepy outfits:
I remember once working the public observing deck in grad school after the planetarium show, and a mid-teen and his mother come up asking to see the star they bought. I was just about to launch into my diatribe (though sympathetically) when they added that they had named it for the kid's dead brother or cousin or something.
I bit my tongue, looked at the info on the bit of paper they brought up. I knew I had a snowballs chance of identifying that star in particular no matter how well I had initialized the 'scopes; It was just too faint. So I typed in the coordinates, picked one that was probably brighter than the one in question and centered the scope on it and told them that was it. What else could I do?
I hate those companies, preying upon people like that.
2006-09-03 07:44:26 · answer #1 · answered by Mr. Quark 5 · 4⤊ 1⤋
there is billions of stars in the universe. Just pay your self (or donate the $54 to something nice like astrological science studies in your area, or the Christa McAuliffe Planetarium) and write up a receipt, and your very own certificate of authenticity, because that is the only thing these people are doing is taking your money and printing you made up documents. For all you know you could be buying the same star as every one else who falls for this scam. We can't own the heavens, we belong to them.
I left a link to the planetarium below.
2006-09-03 15:03:17 · answer #2 · answered by micki_g 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No website or company selling stars or any other kind of celestial real estate is actually legitimate. Currently there are no treaties or laws giving the rights to any such territory to any individual country or corporation on Earth, so your ownership cannot be held up in court. If I were you I wouldn't buy one.
2006-09-03 14:45:27 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
This is a scam. While anyone can claim ownership of a star, there is no authority which will recognize it.
You might as well pick any star and design and print out your own certificate saying you own it.
2006-09-03 17:35:31 · answer #4 · answered by minuteblue 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
As other people have said, don't waste your money. Instead, go outside on a clear night with a star chart (http://www.skymaps.com/ ) and choose a star that you can recognize later. It'll have more meaning to you that way, and it's free!
2006-09-03 17:27:12 · answer #5 · answered by kris 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I sell stars.
We're having a special. $50 a star, or 10 stars for $350.
E-mail me for details.
2006-09-03 16:03:26 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you buy a star, and aliens from that star invade Earth, can we sue you?
2006-09-04 13:52:13 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's not a good idea. Most of the companies aren't legit. But if you really want the piece of paper saying you have a star named after you, try:
http://www.starregistry.com/?source=overture&engine=overture!6098&keyword=the+star+registry&OVRAW=star%20registry&OVKEY=the%20star%20registry&OVMTC=standard
2006-09-03 14:52:36 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
who owns the right to these stars???
2006-09-03 14:44:11 · answer #9 · answered by bountykilla87 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Just tell everybody, "I own Betelgeuse!" Who's going to take it away...?
2006-09-03 14:59:24 · answer #10 · answered by cdf-rom 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋