How to Buy a Star

Posted on April 20th, 2009 by Marck

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Everything has its price; just about everything that can be sold has already been sold. Mountains, islands, and even the prospect of marriage have been sold like chewing gum, bottled water, and duct tape. If you have a lot of money to spend, and if you want to have some fun doing it, you may want to consider buying your own star from the heavens.

How Buying a Star Works

For thousands of years, people have named the visible and important stars in the universe, visible either with the naked eye or with instruments like telescopes. Many of these stars have been named after gods, goddesses, events, and other names that have been derived from Latin or Arabic. Astronomers name stars so that they can easily be plotted and identified when they observe cosmic phenomena in outer space.

When you “buy a star,” you actually “buy” the star’s name. Companies sell all sorts of stuff all the time, and some companies sell you the right to name a star in outer space. Keep in mind that no international body of astronomers will recognize your claim to a piece of the cosmos.

Steps

If you plan to give a “star” to a friend or a family member as a gift, follow these instructions:

Look for a star-naming company using a search engine.
Select an option or a gift package offered by the company. Most gift packages run between $60 to $200. Remember that you’re not buying the star itself; at most, you’re buying a certificate that says you or your friend or family member “owns” a certain star in the heavens.
Fill in the required details (name, mailing address, payment method).
As soon as the package arrives, you should have the certificate that points out the “location” and the “coordinates” of the star. The company may also send you a sky chart and a small booklet on astronomy.

Let the Buyer Beware

Keep in mind that “buying a star” is an advertising gimmick; while you get a nicely-printed certificate, the star you “bought” will always be one of three things:

The star may not exist.
The star may have already been named.
The star may exist, but the coordinates described on the card are way off.

Remember that there’s nothing illegal about buying a star, but all you’re actually doing is buying a very nice-looking certificate that says you “own” a star. With these tips to buy a fancy-looking certificate, you and your friends can have a good laugh about having a star somewhere out there named for you.