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International Star Registry Is A Ripoff
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One radio advertisement I heard over and over again during the holidays was for International Star Registry, a company that offers the ability to “name a star after someone” for a low fee of $54.00. In addition to having the star’s new name “registered at the US Copyright office,” you get a certificate. For $54, all you get is a certificate, some star charts, and a map of your star circled in red. Pay a little more and you get a nicer frame. You can also get various charms and bracelets with your star’s official name and your name too.
It’s cute but the name isn’t official… check the fine print at the bottom of the page: “International Star Registry star naming is not recognized by the scientific community. Your stars name is reserved in International Star Registry records only.” It might be worth $54 to be able to name a star a particular name, so that every time someone mentioned it in the news you’d get a little shout out (”Look, John Smith is going supernova!”), but to have it only written down in some company’s book? C’mon.
$54 (plus shipping and handling) would be so much better spent on something else. Heck, despite my aversion to gift cards, I’d prefer a gift card to anywhere over a star named after me! 
I must have heard this commercial two or three dozen times the week or two before Christmas and these guys have been in business forever, makes me wonder…
(in all fairness to people who did buy this and happen to read this, you do get a nice frame and it is a cool idea, but you aren’t getting a star officially named after you!)
(Photo derived from vorty)
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Although a somewhat sweet gesture, it is a little ridiculous at the same time. I’m a big fan of personalized gifts, but things like these don’t exactly qualify – it’s not like the
any effort is involved besides paying for it.
I always did wonder if they really officially named the stars, but I guess not. I would have to agree that if someone were to spend $54 on a ’star’ that won’t be named, I rather ask for the cash
Wow… I thought at the very least you actually got the star named after you. I guess not.
The first time I ever heard about this was a friend of mine who’s father had died… they had a star named after him. Makes me sad to think that they really didn’t.
Aside from the fact that the star is “registered in book format with the US Copyright Office,” which, as you stated, is worthless, there are only some 2-3000 stars visible to the naked eye on a perfectly dark night. So even if you decide to blow $54, the odds are you can’t see the star without a telescope. All you will see is a point of light, indistinct from the other billion points of light.
My grandmother is a vegan and a passionate animal lover. One year I bought her a sea turtle – similar deal as the star selling. The only difference is that the money I spent on the turtle helped the movement to preserve sea turtles.
I’m fine with conceptual gifts, but the stars seems more like a scam.
A gift that makes a ton of money for that company, especially those in the affiliate market.
I don’t think “scam” is the proper word to use as they clearly list out that the naming is not official.
How did this not get flag as a scandal? Or did the company register in the Bahamas or something? Even if they spell it out, it’s still can’t be a legitimate business right?
LOL.
I seriously have never given thought to the legitimacy of this. I didn’t hear any radio ads but it sounds a bit ridiculous nonetheless.
There is nothing illegal/illegitimate about what the company does. It’s just that it presents what it does in a way that people do think that there is some legitimacy or longevity to the name. No one needs to pay anyone any money to name a star for any one. Just point to some star and tell your honey that you are naming it for her. For $10, I’ll be glad to print out a Certificate of Authenticity, suitable for framing. For another $20 plus s&h, I’ll frame it for you!
“I’d prefer a gift card to anywhere over a star named after me!”
Even a gift card to the International Star Registry?
That’s a trick question and I refuse to answer.
You all are coming down a little hard on this. As a memorial gift some family friends purchased a star name to honor my grandfather Reginald “Scotty” Jenkins. Both of my aunts are avid amateur astronomers and my grandfather during the early years of WWII was a navigator on an ASW bomber in the Navy and learned to navigate by the starts, which is where my aunts became so avid in their hobby and why my father and myself have always owned telescopes. Stellar observation has always been a part of my family life and it is a tradition I continue by firing my wife’s interest and hopefully will be able to do the same with my daughter when she gets a little order. It was a very appropriate gift to the family at a time when we lost a pillar of our family who inspired us through his thoughts and deeds throughout my life.
Yall all need to shut up and suck it if someone wants to spend 54 dollars on a star whether its officially named after them or not thats their business. Not yours so stay out of it and let people haven freedom to do as they please.
If people should have the freedom to do as they please, that should also include expressing their opinions.
Since I was 16yo when I purchased “naming rights” from the International Star Registry, I would have appreciated if someone had gotten “in my business” as I didn’t understand exactly what I was purchasing until many years later. Either Kandy is drunk or doesn’t understand the necessity of full disclosure when your plunking down your hard earned money for something. I’ll be sure to give her a call when I’m ready to sell my 15yo car.