Great question! We want to make sure you understand exactly what you're buying.

The sole authority for naming stars rests with the International Astronomical Union (IAU). Keep in mind that any star naming service you come across online is essentially a private registry and is not officially recognized by astronomers and scientists.

All private star registries, where you name a star, are symbolic and not scientifically recognized.

Well, it's like this: You pick a star, give it a name that's as special as you are.

Then your star's registration is forever etched in the digital universe, i.e. the blockchain. This is your star's cosmic birth certificate, if you will! Even if The StarMint turns into a spaceship-themed ice cream parlor (hey, you never know!), your star's record is solid gold.

Now, here's the star-studded cherry on top – explore our gift shop for keepsakes that beam with your star's unique charm. It's not just a star, it's your star, and we're here to make it shine.

Ah, the galaxy of star registries – and then there's The StarMint. Here's the cosmic lowdown on how we stand out:

🌠 Public Star Power: While other registries keep their database private, we're all about making your star a public superstar on the unchangeable Blockchain. It's not just a record; it's a cosmic legacy that lasts forever.

🚀 One Star, One You: No star-sharing shenanigans here. We guarantee that no star is registered more than once, offering you exclusive registration of your star.

✨ Stellar Uniqueness: Think of star names like email or web addresses – each one is a cosmic original when you register a star with The StarMint. Each star name on The StarMint registry is one-of-a-kind.

🚀💫 Galactic Giving: When you choose The StarMint, 20% of your purchase goes directly to The SpacePrize Foundation, a 501(c)3 charity devoted to aerospace education. By supporting our commitment to STEAM education for women, your choice makes a cosmic difference!

Unlock a universe of benefits with The StarMint today, and brace yourself for an even more celestial experience in the future by joining The StarMint community. Why choose us now?

1. Your Star on the Cosmic Stage: Unlike other registries that keep things hush-hush, The StarMint proudly etches your star's legacy on the public and unchangeable Blockchain. Your star's record is not just a certificate; it's a cosmic imprint that lasts forever.
2. Exclusive Star Ownership: No sharing here! We guarantee that your star is one of a kind, registered just for you. It's like having a VIP section in the cosmic registry.
3. Unique Stellar Identity: Just like your favorite email or web address, each star name in The StarMint registry is utterly unique. No star in the cosmos will share the same name – it's yours and yours alone.
4. Sparkling Contribution: Elevate your star experience with purpose. 20% of your purchase fuels the SpacePrize Foundation, supporting STEAM education for young women. Make your star shine bright while making a positive impact.

Coming Soon:

• Starz.org Profile: Craft and share your star's story in your very own Starz.org profile.
• Community Perks: Dive into a universe of exclusive benefits, from discounts to VIP event invitations, as we forge a stellar-loving community.
• Celestial Naming Rights: Get ready to name not just stars but also exo-planets and exo-moons in the InterGalactic Star Atlas. As humanity discovers new celestial wonders, your star registration opens doors to celestial fame.

Stay tuned for the cosmic journey ahead – exciting updates await!

Here's the list of stuff included with your star registry:

1. Personalized PDF Certificate: Receive a beautifully designed certificate featuring the name and coordinates of your star.
2. InterGalactic Star Atlas Recognition: Secure a permanent spot for your star on the public blockchain.
3. Complimentary Blockchain Wallet: Access your star registration record anytime through our free WeMint blockchain wallet.
4. Exclusive Publishing Rights: Enjoy the privilege of publishing your star's name and coordinates on unique gift items, adding a personal touch to your celestial connection.
5. Charitable Contribution: Make a positive impact with a tax-deductible donation to the SpacePrize Foundation, supporting space-related initiatives.

Here's the cosmic truth: The International Astronomical Union (IAU) holds the gavel as the sole authority for naming stars. Keep in mind that any star naming service you come across online is essentially a private registry, cool but not officially recognized by the cosmic big shots, astronomers, and scientists.

Now, enter The StarMint – we're not your average star registry. We go big with a public and unchangeable Blockchain record, making your star's name eternal. But wait, there's more – we timestamp this cosmic moment, giving you solid proof that you're the trailblazer in The Intergalactic Star Atlas, our exclusive registry at StarMint.

By registering your star with The StarMint, your star isn't just named; it's engraved in the celestial archives.

When you choose The StarMint, 20% of your entire purchase is a tax deductible donation that goes directly to The SpacePrize Foundation. By offering this unique star-naming service, we're not just providing you with a celestial connection, but also encouraging support for universal space literacy - especially for young women.

Even though we are a for-profit enterprise, The StarMint is more than just a star registry. We are proudly affiliated with The SpacePrize Foundation 501(c)3, a charity devoted to aerospace education for women.

You're not just making a purchase – you're making a difference and experiencing the sheer joy of giving and receiving while supporting our mission for STEAM education for women and spreading knowledge about the vast wonders of space.

At The Starmint, we believe everyone should have the opportunity to participate in the growing space economy.

The mission of The SpacePrize Foundation (www.spaceprize.org) is to empower young women to participate in the growing space economy with many programs including the Space Prize Challenges which gives young women the opportunity to start their career in space.

Absolutely! When you make a stellar purchase with us, 20% of the magic goes straight to the SpacePrize Foundation – a 501(c)3 non-profit all about spreading space love and literacy. Guess what? Your donation is tax-deductible, and the SpacePrize Foundation will slide a receipt right into your cosmic inbox. Now that's a win-win in the universe of giving! 🌠🚀💖

Negative! Each star in The StarMint is granted a singular certificate, exclusive to itself. It's a one-star show, no duplicates allowed.

And guess what? Not only are you the only owner of your star certificate, your star's name is one-of-a-kind also, just like snagging a unique email or web address. No star-sharing drama here!

Here's the rub, we don't know if the same star is registered with other registries. Their databases are not public. But our cosmic assurance is that once your star lands in The StarMint, its name gets a permanent spotlight on the public Blockchain.

To be straightforward, the sole official authority for star designations is the International Astronomical Union (IAU), and sadly, they do not permit individuals to name stars. So any online star naming service you come across will merely retain your chosen name in their own private database. No astronomer or scientist will acknowledge the name you assign to the star.

What sets The Starmint apart is that we not only preserve your star's name in our private database but also register, or 'mint,' your star's certificate as a non-fungible token (NFT) on a publicly accessible blockchain.

Additionally, we timestamp this record establishing that you are the first person to publicly name that particular star.

The StarMint has multiple ways for you to choose your star - by location, by constellation, by zodiac or the cosmic lottery of randomness. Before you checkout, you can change your selection as many times as you'd like.

Once you select a star and purchase the registration, The StarMint "mints" a non-fungible token (NFT), a permanent certificate of your star on a public database called the Blockchain. Once a star is "minted," it cannot be changed.

But, you can always buy another star.

Blockchain is a modern technology that lets us store and exchange data without relying on one main authority.

Imagine a community bulletin board in a small town. This bulletin board is public and visible to everyone. Instead of a single person in charge, the community collectively maintains it. Whenever someone wants to add an announcement or information, they need to follow certain rules agreed upon by the community.

Now, each announcement is linked to the previous one, forming a chain of information. Once something is posted, it cannot be easily removed or altered without the consensus of the community. This ensures transparency and trust in the information displayed on the board. Everyone has a copy of the announcements, and any changes must be agreed upon by the majority.

In this analogy, the bulletin board represents the blockchain, each announcement is a block of data, and the linked chain represents the secure and transparent connection between all the pieces of information.

Using that analogy, The StarMint posts the name of your star to the bulletin board (Blockchain) for everyone to see. Therefore, in The StarMint registry, no one else can name the same star or use the same name for a different star.

A blockchain wallet is a secure digital location designed for storing and managing digital assets you own on the blockchain.

Extending the analogy we used to describe the blockchain (previous FAQ), think of your blockchain wallet as a personal section on the community bulletin board where you have a designated space. This space is secured with a unique lock that only you have the key to. Instead of physical notes, your wallet contains digital notes or tokens representing your assets or information.

The StarMint uses WeMint, our sister company, for creating, storing and managing blockchain wallets.

You will be able to see the stars in your WeMint wallet by clicking on your profile in the upper right and selecting my stars.

Estimating the total number of stars in the universe is a challenging task due to the vastness of space and the limitations of our observational capabilities. However, astronomers have made various estimates based on observable data.In the Milky Way galaxy alone, there are estimated to be around 100 to 400 billion stars. Beyond our galaxy, there are billions of other galaxies in the observable universe, each containing varying numbers of stars.Taking these estimates into account, the total number of stars in the observable universe is often suggested to be in the range of 100 billion to 2 trillion trillion (that's 2 followed by 24 zeros). Keep in mind that these numbers are subject to revision as our understanding of the universe continues to evolve, and they represent only what we can observe within the observable universe, which is a finite portion of the entire cosmos.

There are billions and billions of stars in the universe, but only a very tiny fraction of them have official names assigned by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

Our latest research indicates that there are less than 1,000 officially named stars.

It depends.

If you select a star based on viewing location, then your star is viewable from your location. Of course, conditions like light pollution, your telescope and the weather will determine how visible it is.

If you choose a random star or one based on zodiac or constellation, it is likely that it will not be viewable from your location.

The StarMint registry is called the InterGalactic Star Atlas. It is the first ever blockchain based, universal star registration database. Each star record is memorialized on the blockchain and has a timestamp for when it was first registered and named.

Stay tuned! In the future, each star record will also have a profile page for that star, that is controlled exclusively by the registrant and will be publicly viewable at www.Starz.org.

The North Star is actually the planet Venus. We are working on adding planets and other celestial bodies to our catalogue.

We are working on adding planets and other celestial bodies to our catalogue, but as of October 2023, we offer only stars.

We consider the Sun and a number of other stars to be premium stars. Because this is effort is for a charitable cause, we will hold auctions for these premium stars periodically. Naming of premiums stars will have time-limits.

Virtually

1. You will see a profile of your star in your wallet
2. You have a star chart.
3. We will eventually build an app that will allow you to see an AR view of your star with your mobile device

Physically

1. If your star is visible from your location, you can see it with a telescope of appropriate amplification depending on weather and light polution in your specific loction
2. Your NFT will entitle you to participate in local stargazing events

This platform is built for supporting a noble cause. We don't believe in any type of hate speech.

Email us with your specific request and we will do our best to support you. info@thestarmint.com