STAR registry $$ ??

Would like some of your thoughts about the "Star Registry" program that is available to those who wish to have a Star
named after them. For a mere $48.00. You even get a Star Chart so you can find "YOUR" star. It is then entered with the US Pat. Office for authenticity. My immediate thought was, who endowed these enterprising entrepreneurs with ownership of the Heavens? I guess it kind of reminded me of when I first took my two boys up to Mt. Hood to ride their sleds and my inner tube in the snow, everwhere we went it seemed there was a fence and someone wanting money to let you slide down "Their" Hill, anyway, after miles of driving we eventually found some unfenced area off a side road. I guess I just don't know how they can sell something that is so ephemeral, and would seem to belong to all of us.. Your thoughts?? JOHN M

Apparently, there are no laws preventing this company from selling star names, but there ought to be. They are taking advantage of the average person's lack of sophisticated knowledge of astronomy. People who receive these "certificates" are usually disappointed when they learn they can't see "their" star with the naked eye, even more so when they find out they'd need a telescope to see it at all, assuming they can find such a faint object. What a rip-off!

$48.00 is cheap! I was told by one professional astronomer (no names) that they have people coming up all the time to their viewing sessions wanting to view "their" stars. One of them proudly mentioned that they had paid over $3000 to have a naked eye star named after them!!!!!!! It turned out to be one of the stars in Leo, from memory it was eta. I guess that makes all of our atlases and software inaccurate!!!!!!!!

By the way, the observatory was also threatened with legal action even though they were not in the USA. They folded under the threat, and now charge people a VERY large sum to come to special observing sessions to view "their" stars!

Unfortunately this scam will continue world-wide until someone manages to sue the company.

Much more I would like to say, however I do not want to risk having AM sued! :-(

Cheers,

Maurice

Why not just register a galaxy and save a buck or two? .