For $40, you can name a star for your Valentine. But it won’t mean much

By Laura Nicole Driessen, Postdoctoral Researcher in Radio Astronomy, University of Sydney

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, romance is in the air. And what could be more romantic than a picnic under the stars, pointing up to the night sky, and gazing at a star you’ve named for your Valentine?

A quick online search reveals multiple paid services for naming a star, usually accompanied by a certificate and a star map for finding the star.

However, these names are not official and are not used by astronomers. According to the International Astronomical Union’s Working Group on Star Names, the official body that leads selecting star names: “

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