Finding a Star

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.

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?

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.

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

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 .^

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.

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.

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

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

That's neat.

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

Unless it goes supernova.

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.

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