Not Necessarily. People will spend money for the strangest things even when they know it's worthless. It's my understanding that parents can pay a company to register their child in a "Who's Who" book. Perhaps this is similar. Even if the child needs to meet elegibility requirements for inclusion, it's still a commercial effort and not an official documentation. When I was in High School, I was a State Scholar which is an official recognition with documentation.I don't mean to brag, but it seems an apt analogy.

I used to sell cars and you're right. In Illinois, it is my understanding that the seller is not required to disclose information. However, they are not allowed to lie either. The last car I purchased had been in an accident prior. It was obvious when you saw the over-spray and other signs. I asked him flat out and he looked me straight in the eye and declared "I don't know." Good, he didn't lie to me. Better yet, the bank checked the VIN, got the vehicle history, and made them drop the price a few grand. Always check the VIN if you plan to buy a used car. [This is not legal advice, but good common sense.]

Yes, I doubt the star name registry companies will be targeted for suit. However, the points you just raised might apply to lunar land grab companies. Maybe not for a $20 acre... But perhaps the hotel chains that drop tens of thousands might eventually move to litigation.

Perhaps they don't want people to know that. We are all guilty of omitting embarassing details. Besides, they probably want to sell the book so that any person could take it to an astronomer to look it up using the catalog numbers assigned to it. Maybe, some enterprising astronomer will start charging people to see their star. Maybe people will get re-interested in science and space and decide to support NASA and we could all go to the stars and, and, whew... better stop dreaming.

I heard that Phil Plait does have a star named after him. Would that constitute recognition?

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"Oh no no no I'm a rocket man Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone." -- Sir Elton John

J Pax

Did a professional astronomer buy the star name for Phil? Whether that is the case or not, I would say "no". By "recognize" I meant for research purposes. We have a range of opinion here and I expect that there might be a minority of Professional astronomers that have no problem with the star registry. But certainly that minority does not represent a formal recognition.

Any professional astronomers that have purchased star names obviously grasp that the whole thing is a harmless novelty.

IIRC, I think in his book the BA says that it was bought for him by his brother? cousin? May be wrong on that, but I don't believe it was from a professional astronomer.

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"I'd take the awe of understanding over the awe of ignorance any day." - Douglas Adams

IIRC, in his book Bad Astronomy Phil did not buy the star name himself - it was a gift. He describes this in his chapter which criticizes star naming companies.

Just got home & took my well-worn copy of B.A. from the bookcase (I know - I should have a copy at work too..... [-X !)

BA says it was a gift from his brothers for his birthday.

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"I'd take the awe of understanding over the awe of ignorance any day." - Douglas Adams

A few posts back, in this thread. You said it was cool.

I really hate these people. Every time I turn on the radio now:

Buy a star from the Star Registry now! Only $48 and we'll sell you something which we do not own and do not have the right to sell you! It's completely illegimate, and best of all, we make a huge profit!

I really hate those guys. The BA had a good treatment of them in his book.

[quote="The thieves"]Name a Star ™ is the gift that will be remembered each glance at the stars SM. Name a star for someone has never been easier then at Name a Star ™ is the original star name service since 1978[quote]

I've never seen so many trademarks in one paragraph.

Even Oprah Winfrey is getting into the act.

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"Too low they build, who build beneath the stars". - Edward Young, 1745

Does SAO17287373--whatever care what we call it?

Does Pluto give a darn about whether it's a planetoid or planet?

People spend billions of dollars on gibberish every year. Does it matter that they add an iota to the background noise by naming a star after aunt gracie's late cat? Is anyone really hurt by this tiny offense to the cosmos?

redrefractor

No, of course not, and we can prove it easily. Just send me $90. When I get it, I'll verify that you sent it, and you can verify that it didn't hurt a bit.

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SeanF

"Ask to understand, but don't challenge unless you have the knowledge."--NEOWatcher

The contents of this post are ©2008 by SeanF and may not be copied or retransmitted in any form without the express written consent of SeanF

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Everything I need to know I learned through Googling.

I just found a site where you can name entire galaxies. Why settle for a measly old star? It even says you're entitled to call yourself something like "Galactic Emperor" and have the title as part of your name.

All this for the low-low price of $19.99. :P

Uh-Uh. Better not let Humphry see that, or he will no longer settle for being ruler of the world, he will want to be ruler of an entire galaxy.

Someone, quick break into his computer, and do whatever it takes to hide this thread from his view.

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Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future.

--Niels Bohr, Danish Physicist.

Looks like it's been a while since the last post of this subject, but the issue continues.

I don't think that pretending to point out the star supposedly named for her dead son was wrong.

We will be having a local public star party next weekend. I plan on using the double star Cor Coroli, named after Charles 1, as a way of telling people about how astro objects are really named and that star names from any private company are not recognized.

If someone, like that mother were to ask me about registering a star for a loved one, I would tell them to save their money. Better to just pick out any naked-eye star that caught their fancy, circumpolar may be best for year-round viewing, and think of the loved one whenever they look upon it. (And it's free.)

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The brain may be spongy, but an open mind should not soak up eveything indiscriminately

I, however, think it was wrong -- terribly wrong -- not to then turn around and sell her some prime real estate in Brooklyn with a bridge on it.


Incidentally, this last Valentine's Day, I received spam from yet another star-registering company, the "Universal Star Council" (at yourstar.com). At least these people seem to have a tiny bit of integrity, because hidden away on their FAQ page is the following:

"Universal Star Council's products are intended for the sole purpose as a unique 'novelty' gift one can share with their friends and family. Only the International Astronomical Union has the authority to assign names to stars, but they only recognize stars by assigning them numbers. ... Universal Star Council also acknowledges the fact there may be people who do not officially recognize the names they assign to the stars (Professional astronomers will always prefer to use a star's IAU number vs. 'Mom's Star'). We have no control over any other entity operating a similar service or the business of any scientific, governmental or other body."

Nevertheless, their $89.95 "Platinum package" is way overpriced, in my not-so-humble opinion.