Gift ideas
Buy a star or name a star: what to know, and a real alternative
Buying a star or naming one is a popular gift, but these names have no official value. How stars are really named, and why a real iceberg, tracked by satellite, is an original alternative.
You cannot buy a star or officially name a star. According to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the only body authorised to name celestial objects, the "names" sold by companies have no official value, and astronomers do not use them. That does not mean this gift has no sentimental value. But if you are looking for a symbolic gift linked to something real that can be followed, adopting an iceberg is an original alternative: a very real object, here on Earth, whose position and changes you can follow.
How are stars really named?
The International Astronomical Union
Founded in 1919, the International Astronomical Union brings together professional astronomers from all over the world. It sets the rules for naming planets, moons, asteroids, craters and stars.
Numbers rather than names
The vast majority of stars have no name, but a designation in a catalogue: a combination of letters and numbers indicating which catalogue it appears in and where it is located. This is practical for astronomers, who record billions of stars.
A few hundred official names
Only a few hundred stars have an official name recognised by the IAU. Most are traditional names inherited from Antiquity or medieval Arabic astronomy, such as Sirius, Betelgeuse or Aldebaran. The IAU set up a special working group to catalogue them, and it has sometimes organised public competitions to name exoplanets and their stars, without ever charging for proposals.
What the IAU says about names that are sold
The IAU states clearly that some companies offer, for a fee, to give a name to a star, but that these "names" have no formal or official validity whatsoever. They are recorded only in the private register of the company selling them.
Why this gift is still popular
That is no reason to look down on this gift. What people give is not an official title, but a symbol: a light in the sky associated with a loved one, a birth or a memory. Many people know this and appreciate the gesture for what it is.
The real question is: which symbol should you choose, and what does it rest on?
An iceberg: a very real alternative
A real object you can follow
An iceberg in the Mon Iceberg catalogue really exists: it appears in the public reports of the U.S. National Ice Center, for Antarctica, or the International Ice Patrol, for Iceberg Alley. Its position, dimensions and area come from these data, and some pages offer a satellite image.
A story that evolves
A star seems unchanging on the scale of a human life. An iceberg drifts, breaks apart and eventually melts. It is a living object whose story can be told, like that of A23a, the world's largest iceberg, followed for forty years.
A symbol that means something today
Melting ice is one of the most visible signs of climate change. Giving an iceberg means giving a concrete link with that reality, and a reason to take an interest in it.
The same honesty
As with a star, adopting an iceberg is symbolic: it confers no property rights. The ice of the Southern Ocean falls under the Antarctic Treaty. We say so clearly on the website and on the certificate.
Star or iceberg: the comparison
- The object itself: both really exist; a large iceberg can also be seen on satellite images, and its position is published regularly.
- Following it: a star does not change on a human scale; an iceberg drifts and changes, with news possible every year.
- Official value of the name: none in either case. For an iceberg, we don't rename it: it keeps its official name (for example D15A), and it is the certificate that bears the person's name.
- Meaning: a star evokes eternity; an iceberg evokes the fragility of the planet and the urgency of climate action.
- Price: from €19.99 to €39.99 for an iceberg, depending on its size.
Iceberg D15A
Antarctica · 3,037 km² · 94 × 41 km
from €39.99
Iceberg B22A
Antarctica · 1,229 km² · 54 × 46 km
from €39.99
Iceberg A81
Antarctica · 1,221 km² · 52 × 46 km
from €39.99
Iceberg C36
Antarctica · 848 km² · 43 × 30 km
from €29.99
Iceberg IIP 20014
Iceberg Alley · 16 sightings in 2021
from €19.99
Iceberg IIP 20092
Iceberg Alley · 14 sightings in 2021
from €19.99
How to give an iceberg
- Choose an iceberg in the catalogue: an Antarctic giant or an Iceberg Alley iceberg.
- Enter the name that will appear on the certificate and a personal message.
- Choose to give it right away or on a specific date: the certificate will be emailed on that day.
- Receive the certificate immediately as a PDF, ready to print.
For all the details, see our page Unusual gift: give a real iceberg.
Choose an iceberg to giveInstant PDF certificate · delivery on the date of your choice · from €19.99
Frequently asked questions
Can you really buy a star?
No. Nobody can own a star, and the names sold by companies are not recognised by the International Astronomical Union, which alone is authorised to name celestial objects.
Is the name of a purchased star official?
No. It is recorded only in the private register of the company that sells it. Astronomers do not use it.
Can you own an iceberg?
No, not that either. Adopting an iceberg is symbolic. However, the iceberg is real and tracked using public data, and the certificate bears the name of the person you give it to.
What symbolic gift can I give for a new baby?
Adopting an iceberg in the child's name is an original idea: you can tell them the story of their iceberg and introduce them to climate issues.