The Saturn Opposition

What has Saturn ever done to us?

No, there’s not an insurgency planning to take action against the planet Saturn! Rather, this month Saturn will be at what astronomers call “opposition,” which is a great time to observe the beautiful ringed planet. On June 27 (June 28 for those of you in Australia, Japan, China, India and other parts of the eastern hemisphere), Saturn will be at opposition, meaning Saturn will be on the opposite side of the sky from the sun: When the sun sets that evening in the west, Saturn will rise in the east. Really, all of June and into July is a great time to see Saturn. You can use the Moon to find Saturn (and Jupiter) in late June:

Saturn, the Moon and Jupiter — Saturn and Jupiter in relation to the Moon the evening of June 25, 2018

On June 27, look for Saturn immediately adjacent to the Moon.

For the best view, wait until at least two hours after sunset to look at Saturn through a telescope. (Before then, you’ll be looking at Saturn through the thicker layers of Earth’s atmosphere near the eastern horizon.) So get out your telescope and take a look at the beautiful ringed planet this summer!

Virtual Planetarium Solar System Update — “Solar System Update,” which provides fascinating info about Saturn and other planets, is part of Name A Star Live’s Virtual Planetarium astronomy software. Virtual Planetarium is seven great programs in one! With interactive sky maps, a library of stunning imagery, and updates on the latest space events, space weather, auroras, and more, you’ll navigate the night sky with ease.

Look for Jupiter too!

11 Earth's could fit across Jupiter In addition to Saturn, you can see the giant planet Jupiter in the Name A Star Live constellation Libra this month. Viewed through a telescope, you may see up to four of Jupiter’s largest moons. And did you know that 11 Earth’s could fit across the width of Jupiter?

Jupiter viewed from the northern hemisphere…

Jupiter and Libra — In June Jupiter will be in the constellation Libra (outlined in yellow here), over the southern horizon.

Viewed from the southern hemisphere…

Jupiter and Libra from the southern hemisphere — Viewing Jupiter from Sydney, Australia in June, shortly after sunset. Jupiter will appear above the northern horizon in the constellation Libra.

Get our Moon Tweets!

The Twitter Moon — Our Moon Tweets let you know what constellation the Moon is in each night.

Our Moon Tweets let you know when the Moon is in a Name A Star Live constellation.

Did you know you can use the Moon to identify where your star’s constellation is in the night sky? Follow us on Twitter where we let you know when the Moon appears in a Name A Star constellation (area of the night sky).

Name A Star Live offers some really good tools to learn about the night sky and find your star’s constellation. Visit our website to learn about our Virtual Planetarium software and planisphere constellation finder!

What’s this Super-Blue-Blood-Moon-Eclipse thingy?

Lunar eclipse over mountains — The dark red appearance of a full lunar eclipse is something special: Don’t miss this month’s eclipse! Photo Credit: Collin Von Son

If you’ve been online lately, you’ve probably heard about the “Super Blue Blood Moon Eclipse” coming up on January 31, 2018. What’s this all about?

Well, there are three lunar events happening during the pre-dawn hours that day:

The 2nd full Moon of the month will occur. When there are two full Moons in a month, the 2nd one is called a “Blue Moon.” The first full Moon of January occurred on New Year’s Day.
This full Moon is a so-called “supermoon” because it will appear a bit larger and a bit brighter than a normal full Moon. This is because this Blue Moon occurs when the Moon is close to “perigee” — the Moon’s closest approach to Earth.
A lunar eclipse will occur early that morning, making the Moon appear to be reddish (like blood) in color.

Put all three together, and you get the “Super Blue Blood Moon Eclipse.”

What’s more, this is the first Super Blue Blood Moon Eclipse visible from the western hemisphere in 150 years.

Here’s a NASA video about the Super Blue Blood Moon:

Continue reading “What’s this Super-Blue-Blood-Moon-Eclipse thingy?”

Name A Star for the New Year with our BOGO Sale!

Crowd watching launch — Watch your star name launched to space!

Name A Star for the New Year and name a second star for free! Regardless of where you live in the world, you can order one of our Instant Gifts, which are provided via the Internet so that you can download, print and give right away! What a nice gift idea for the host of your New Year’s party!

And remember: Name A Star Live is the only star naming service that launches your star name into space! Name a star with us and join us in person to watch the launch of your star name. We’ll be hosting a star party too where you can view the stars and planets through telescopes. If you can’t join us in person, you watch via webcast.

A family stargazing — See the stars and planets at our star party in New Mexico.

It’s all happening in April 2018 at a place called “Spaceport America” in New Mexico — about a two-hour drive north of El Paso. This 21st century spaceflight facility will be used by Sir Richard Branson to fly space tourists into the Final Frontier. Spaceport America is also one of the launch locations we use to fly our customers’ star names. Watching a launch occur over the majestic landscape of New Mexico — the “Land of Enchantment” — is simply breathtaking! Plus, you can tour Mission Control and view the rocket on the launch pad. Name A Star Live makes you a part of real space missions, and you get the full experience at Spaceport America.

Touring the launch pad at Spaceport America

After we launch your star name, you get a letter-size, Digital Launch Certificate confirming that your star name was part of a real space mission. If you can’t join us for liftoff, you can even watch the launch online. What a wonderful Christmas gift! So name a star today!

We offer 2 types of gifts:

Our Instant Gifts are provided to you via the Internet: Download, Print and Give right away, 24/7!
Our Keepsake Gifts are printed and shipped to you or to your gift recipient. We offer free Priority Mail shipping to U.S. addresses.

When you take advantage of our Buy One, Get One sale you:

Purchase any gift set we offer — Instant Gift or Keepsake Gift; and
Get one of our Instant Gifts that’s called simply the “Instant Gift Set” — a $19.95 value, absolutely free!

How to Make Your Buy One Get One Purchase:

1. Visit our site and add any Gift Set to your cart.
2. Enter your special offer code at checkout.
3. Complete your purchase.
4. Name both of your stars and gift them to friends & family!

Good through Tuesday, January 2, 2018.

Featured Gift Set

One of our most popular Instant Gifts is the Instant Gift Set Plus, which starts at $29.90. Provided to you via the Internet, it includes everything you’ll need to make the stars come alive. It’s a great name-a-star gift for Christmas, Hanukkah, New Years, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, a birthday, graduation or any special occasion.

The Name A Star Live Instant Gift Set Plus includes:

A letter-size Digital Star Certificate that displays the name of your star, your star’s astronomical coordinates, and a personal message you write for your gift recipient.
A letter-size Digital Star Chart that shows the position of your star within its constellation (area of the night sky, such as Aries or Taurus).

You get a Digital Launch Certificate each time we launch your star name into space — with Name A Star Live, you’re made part of real space missions!

Name A Star for the New Year and Watch Your Star Name Launched to Space

Name A Star Live is the only star naming service that launches your star name into space! Name a star with us and join us in person to watch the launch of your star name. We’ll be hosting a star party too where you can view the stars and planets through telescopes. If you can’t join us in person, you watch via webcast.

We offer 2 types of gifts:

Our Instant Gifts are provided to you via the Internet: Download, Print and Give right away, 24/7!
Our Keepsake Gifts are printed and shipped to you or to your gift recipient. We offer free Priority Mail shipping to U.S. addresses.

When you take advantage of our Buy One, Get One sale you:

Purchase any gift set we offer — Instant Gift or Keepsake Gift; and
Get one of our Instant Gifts that’s called simply the “Instant Gift Set” — a $19.95 value, absolutely free!

How to Make Your Buy One Get One Purchase:

Good through Tuesday, January 2, 2018.

Featured Gift Set

One of our most popular Keepsake Gifts is the Deluxe Gift Set, which starts at $54.95. Shipped to you or your gift recipient, it includes everything you’ll need to make the stars come alive. It’s a great name-a-star gift for Christmas, New Years, Hanukkah, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, a birthday, graduation or any special occasion.

The Deluxe Gift Set includes:

A letter-size, Printed Star Certificate showing the name of your star, your star’s astronomical coordinates, and a personal message you can write for your gift recipient.
A Star Chart showing the location of your star within its constellation (area of the night sky, such as Aries or Taurus). You get to choose the constellation for your star.
Our award-winning Virtual Planetarium astronomy software that brings astronomy to life with seven great programs in one. Explore the Universe with interactive games, breathtaking NASA imagery, and the latest updates from exciting space missions. Plus see a display of which constellations and planets are visible from your home each night. Suitable for all ages.
A Digital Launch Certificate provided to you each time we launch your star name into space!

Instant Gifts: Download, Print and Give 24/7!

There’s still time to name a star for Christmas! Regardless of where you live in the world, you can always order one of our Instant Gifts, which are provided via the Internet so that you can download, print and give right away!

We offer 2 types of gifts:

Our Instant Gifts are provided to you via the Internet: Download, Print and Give right away, 24/7!
Our Keepsake Gifts are printed and shipped to you or to your gift recipient. We offer free Priority Mail shipping to U.S. addresses.

When you take advantage of our Buy One, Get One sale you:

Purchase any gift set we offer — Instant Gift or Keepsake Gift; and
Get one of our Instant Gifts that’s called simply the “Instant Gift Set” — a $19.95 value, absolutely free!

How to Make Your Buy One Get One Purchase:

Good through Monday, December 25, 2017.

Featured Gift Set

One of our most popular Instant Gifts is the Instant Gift Set Plus, which starts at $29.90. Provided to you via the Internet, it includes everything you’ll need to make the stars come alive. It’s a great name-a-star gift for Christmas, Hanukkah, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, a birthday, graduation or any special occasion.

The Name A Star Live Instant Gift Set Plus includes:

A letter-size Digital Star Certificate that displays the name of your star, your star’s astronomical coordinates, and a personal message you write for your gift recipient.
A letter-size Digital Star Chart that shows the position of your star within its constellation (area of the night sky, such as Aries or Taurus).

BOGO and Watch Your Star Name Launched to Outer Space!

We offer 2 types of gifts:

Our Instant Gifts are provided to you via the Internet: Download, Print and Give right away, 24/7!
Our Keepsake Gifts are printed and shipped to you or to your gift recipient. We offer free Priority Mail shipping to U.S. addresses.

When you take advantage of our Buy One, Get One sale you:

Purchase any gift set we offer — Instant Gift or Keepsake Gift; and
Get one of our Instant Gifts that’s called simply the “Instant Gift Set” — a $19.95 value, absolutely free!

How to Make Your Buy One Get One Purchase:

Good through Monday, December 25, 2017.

Featured Gift Set

One of our most popular Keepsake Gifts is the Star Bear Gift Set, which starts at $74.95. Shipped to you or your gift recipient, it includes everything you’ll need to make the stars come alive. It’s a great name-a-star gift for Christmas, Hanukkah, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, a birthday, graduation or any special occasion.

The Name A Star Live Star Bear Gift Set includes:

A loveable, cuddly 6″ bear holding a generic parchment certificate, and adorned with a gold ribbon and star.
A 5×7″ Printed Star Certificate displaying the name of your star, your star’s astronomical coordinates, and a personal message you can write for your gift recipient.
A letter-size Digital Star Certificate that you can download, print and give right away while your Star Bear and Printed Star Certificate are on the way in the mail.

Join Us at the Launch and Star Party!

We offer 2 types of gifts:

Our Instant Gifts are provided to you via the Internet: Download, Print and Give right away, 24/7!
Our Keepsake Gifts are printed and shipped to you or to your gift recipient. We offer free Priority Mail shipping to U.S. addresses.

When you take advantage of our Buy One, Get One sale you:

Purchase any gift set we offer — Instant Gift or Keepsake Gift; and
Get one of our Instant Gifts that’s called simply the “Instant Gift Set” — a $19.95 value, absolutely free!

How to Make Your Buy One Get One Purchase:

Good through Monday, December 25, 2017.

Featured Gift Set

One of our most popular Keepsake Gifts is the Deluxe Gift Set, which starts at $54.95. Shipped to you or your gift recipient, it includes everything you’ll need to make the stars come alive. It’s a great name-a-star gift for Christmas, Hanukkah, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, a birthday, graduation or any special occasion.

The Deluxe Gift Set includes:

A letter-size, Printed Star Certificate showing the name of your star, your star’s astronomical coordinates, and a personal message you can write for your gift recipient.
A Star Chart showing the location of your star within its constellation (area of the night sky, such as Aries or Taurus). You get to choose the constellation for your star.
Our award-winning Virtual Planetarium astronomy software that brings astronomy to life with seven great programs in one. Explore the Universe with interactive games, breathtaking NASA imagery, and the latest updates from exciting space missions. Plus see a display of which constellations and planets are visible from your home each night. Suitable for all ages.
A Digital Launch Certificate provided to you each time we launch your star name into space!

Tracking Santa on Christmas Eve

NORAD Santa tracking display — NORAD’s Santa Claus tracking website showing Santa’s position last Christmas Eve. Since Christmas Day begins in the Eastern Hemisphere, Santa starts his deliveries in the Far East, Australia and New Zealand, and then proceeds west across the world, racing against sunrise as the Earth rotates eastward.

Did you know that NORAD (the North American Aerospace Defense Command) tracks the progress of Santa Claus as he makes his deliveries to the homes of all good little girls and boys on Christmas Eve? NORAD keeps the Abominable Snowman, the mean Mr. Grinch, and Jack Frost from spoiling Santa’s big flight, which NORAD designates as “Big Red One.” You can track Santa’s journey around the world on NORAD’s Santa Tracking Website. We invite you to see the following video about the history of NORAD’s role in Christmas and how NORAD helps Santa to this very day!

You should also check out Google’s online Santa Tracker! In addition to tracking Santa’s progress on Christmas Eve, this site features a nice Advent calendar you and your children can access now, complete with the sort of games Google is famous for. For example, you can learn how people in different countries pronounce Santa’s name and learn how to dance with elves!

Christmas is a time for celebrating friends and family, and remembering those no longer with us. One gentleman we should all remember at Christmastime was Ewald E. (Sig) Seignemartin, who helped start the NORAD tradition of tracking Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. His favorite job on the DEW Line was that once a year he entered a blip on the radar screen, labeled it “Santa Claus,” and had started the NORAD tracking followed by children and adults around the world until Santa visited each home. Read more about Ewald….

Finally, if you find that Santa needs a little help delivering presents to everyone on your list, remember that Name A Star Live is Santa’s official star-naming service! 🙂 You can name a star 24/7 — even on Christmas Day — with Name A Star Live’s Instant Gift Sets: Just download, print and give!

Christmas in Space

Name A Star Live makes you part of real space missions by launching your star name into the final frontier. As humans like you move into space they bring along their customs and traditions — including Christmas.

Space station Christmas tree — A Christmas Tree on the International Space Station. Photo Credit: Chris Hadfield/Canadian Space Agency

Christmas Day is a NASA holiday, so the astronauts on the International Space Station get to take the day off. The space station astronauts have sent many holiday greetings to Earth. But the most famous Christmas message sent by astronauts to Earthlings was the Apollo 8 Christmas Eve transmission from astronauts in lunar orbit.

Earthrise photo — The famous ‘Earthrise’ photo from Apollo 8, the first manned mission to the moon. The crew entered lunar orbit on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 1968. That evening, the astronauts held a live broadcast, showing pictures of the Earth and moon as seen from their spacecraft.
Image Credit: NASA

Commander Frank Borman, Command Module Pilot Jim Lovell and Lunar Module Pilot William Anders became the first humans to orbit the Moon on Christmas Eve 1968. They were also the first astronauts to spend Christmas in space.

To mark the occasion, they sent Christmas greetings and live images back to their home planet and read from the Book of Genesis. Borman closed the message with the words “good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas, and God bless all of you — all of you on the good Earth.”

It is estimated that as many as one billion people watched the historic broadcast or listened on the radio.

Apollo 8 launched from Earth on Dec. 21 and entered lunar orbit on Christmas Eve. The Apollo 8 crewmembers ended their history-making journey when they splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on Dec. 27. Eight more Apollo missions would visit the Moon, with six of them landing on its surface.

While astronauts have celebrated Christmas in space in the 1960s, in a sense, Christmas has been in space for over 100,000 years. We’re talking about the spectacular “Christmas Tree cluster”!

The Christmas Tree Cluster (a.k.a. “NGC 2264”) is located in the constellation Monoceros, near the Name A Star Live constellations Orion and Gemini. Newborn stars, hidden behind thick dust, are revealed in this image of a section of the Christmas Tree Cluster from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope. Infant stars appear as pink and red specks toward the center and appear to have formed in regularly spaced intervals along linear structures in a configuration that resembles the spokes of a wheel or the pattern of a snowflake. Hence, astronomers have nicknamed this the “Snowflake Cluster.”

Skylab 4 Christmas tree — The Skylab 4 crew created this Christmas tree out of cans in December 1973. Skylab 4 was America’s first space station.

Star-forming clouds like this one are dynamic and evolving structures. Since the stars trace the straight line pattern of spokes of a wheel, scientists believe that these are newborn stars, or “protostars.” At a mere 100,000 years old, these infant structures have yet to “crawl” away from their location of birth. Over time, the natural drifting motions of each star will break this order, and the snowflake design will be no more.

Whether celebrated on, or off, the planet, Christmas is a beautiful, joyous time of the year! Name a star for a friend or family member this Christmas and make them part of our real space missions!

Buy One, Get One!

Name A Star Live is the only star naming service that launches your star name into space! First, we provide you a letter-size Star Certificate that displays the name of your star, your star’s astronomical coordinates, and a personal message you write for your gift recipient. After we launch your star name, you get a letter-size, Digital Launch Certificate confirming that your star name was part of a real space mission. You can even watch the launch online. What a wonderful Christmas gift!

We offer 2 types of gifts:

Our Instant Gifts are provided to you via the Internet: Download, Print and Give right away, 24/7!
Our Keepsake Gifts are printed and shipped to you or to your gift recipient. We offer free Priority Mail shipping to U.S. addresses.

When you take advantage of our Buy One, Get One sale you:

Purchase any gift set we offer — Instant Gift or Keepsake Gift; and
Get one of our Instant Gifts that’s called simply the “Instant Gift Set” — a $19.95 value, absolutely free!

How to Make Your Buy One Get One Purchase:

Good through Sunday, December 10, 2017.

Featured Gift Set

A teddy bear always makes for a lovely Christmas gift. But naming a star really makes that teddy bear special! Let our lovable Star Bear deliver your holiday gift and make a memory that lasts a lifetime. It’s a great name-a-star gift for Christmas, Hanukkah, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, a birthday, graduation or any special occasion.

The Name A Star Live Star Bear Gift Set includes:

A loveable, cuddly 6″ bear holding a generic parchment certificate, and adorned with a gold ribbon and star.
A 5×7″ Printed Star Certificate displaying the name of your star, your star’s astronomical coordinates, and a personal message you can write for your gift recipient.
A letter-size Digital Star Certificate that you can download, print and give right away while your Star Bear and Printed Star Certificate are on the way in the mail.