11 replies to this topic

[Calvary]

Hey all,

A few weeks ago I was sorting through my emails deleting a few to free up space in my inbox. I ended up taking a tour through my internet history all the way to 2007 when I created my email address. Fast forward one year and we're in 2008, a particular email caught my interest, it's from a website that names stars. I vaguely remember going on to this website, naming a star after my deceased grandma and then never doing anything about it again. Four years down the road I dug the email up and did a little bit of back ground work.

RA: 1H 2m 19s
DEC: -32° 6m 19s

I punched the coordinates into a star finder and found this map:



This is the star I named after my grandmother way way back. It was quite exciting for me, even if it's not official or anything (at least I'm 95% sure it's not). So now I'm off to download Google Earth so that I can try and find a colour image.

I just thought I'd share for any astronomers.

E: I don't know anything about this stuff, but if you type 15.5792 -32.1053 into Google Maps (night sky) I think you can find it. Not sure though, the two images don't really correlate.

E2: Might have been holding the map upside down as it were:


could be the right way up ^ who knows?

E3: OH OH! Turns out I WAS holding it upside down, the two images correspond perfectly now!!! So exciting!

E4: Seems to be near a star called σ Sculptoris on a flat Google Earth map.

[Affray]

Cool beans.
Regardless of how official it is in the real world, its still got some meaning for you.

What is the name by the by?

[Calvary]

I just called it the G Tonkin star, I guess I didn't remember my Gran's first name because I'm pretty sure G stands for grandma. XD

In gtknst2 it's really easy to correlate between the two maps. The computer drawn one and the actual coloured image.

[Affray]

Very cool.
I wish I had my own star.
Though I do own part of the moon...

[Calvary]

Part of the moon? Wow, how'd you do that? You can probably still get a star, there's gotta be someone dishing them out, I know I didn't pay for that one .^

[Affray]

I shall look into this star business.

I got my slice of moon when I was in grade five and my class bought a plot of land there.

[SushiKitten]

That's really sweet that you named a star after your grandmother. Even if it's not official, just that it has meaning and importance to you is cool.

I wish I could own part of the moon. I'd set up the first hotel there.

[SpleenBeGone]

That's pretty cool that you were able to find it on google earth and everything.

[Calvary]

Yeah well I think I got a bit lucky, especially since those maps are down now and they were a nightmare to make. XP

[Wolf]

That's neat.

At least you'll always have something to remember her by.

Unless it goes supernova.

[Affray]

That's neat.

At least you'll always have something to remember her by.

Unless it goes supernova.

Then you have something awesome to remember her by.

[Calvary]

Well then it could be the G Tonkin BLACK HOLE! =D