International Star Registry
Retailer / private label
UnclaimedInternational Star Registry is a commercial gift and memorial service that records customer-selected names for stars without conferring officially recognized astronomical designations.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
International Star Registry (ISR) is a commercial star-naming and commemorative-gift business founded in 1979. It offers customers the opportunity to select a star and assign it a personal name for symbolic, memorial, or celebratory purposes. The company supplies packages that commonly include a signed certificate, a booklet or set of star charts, and a chart intended to help identify the selected object. Some packages have also included framed certificates and personalized jewelry. The names are recorded in ISR publications and in a catalogue maintained by the company, including a vault-held catalogue in Switzerland. The service is not an official astronomical naming system. The International Astronomical Union is the internationally recognized authority for assigning formal names and designations to celestial bodies, and privately sold names do not replace scientific catalog identifiers. ISR has nevertheless positioned its service as a lasting personal gift rather than as a scientific product. The company has stated that its offerings are intended for emotional and commemorative use, not for astronomy research. Its star records have historically relied on coordinate data from astronomical catalogues, first the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Star Catalog and later the NASA Star Guide, allowing the company to associate purchased names with identifiable stars. The business began in Toronto in 1979 under Ivor Downie and is generally described as one of the earliest commercial star-naming enterprises. An American franchise was acquired by John and Phyllis Mosele in 1980 after Phyllis encountered the service while looking for a gift for her husband. The Mosele operation expanded through radio and television exposure, and the family obtained sole ownership in 1981 following Downie's death. Ownership later passed to Rocky Mosele, one of John and Phyllis Mosele's children. ISR developed a substantial publishing program around Your Place in the Cosmos, a series of copyrighted volumes listing named stars. Eleven volumes are identified in the company's bibliography, with the series beginning in 1985 and continuing through a 2024 volume. The books helped turn the registry into a durable recordkeeping and presentation product rather than merely a one-time certificate service. The brand has been used for public memorials, institutional promotions, entertainment tie-ins, contests, and corporate marketing. Examples include memorial star names for the astronauts killed in the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster and for victims of the September 11 attacks. Organizations including the Delaware Museum of Natural History, Jack in the Box, Sprint, Warner Bros. Television Studios, and Disney+ have used ISR-related naming activities in promotions or commemorations. The company has also received extensive popular-culture exposure through films, television programs, talk shows, award-season gifts, and celebrity anecdotes. The business has faced recurring public criticism because consumers may misunderstand the nature of the naming right. In 1998, the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs issued a complaint concerning advertising that allegedly suggested official naming authority. The Illinois Attorney General subsequently found no wrongdoing. ISR's stated position and FAQ acknowledge that only the International Astronomical Union can officially name stars. The central distinction in the brand's model is therefore between a privately recorded commemorative name and a scientifically recognized celestial designation.
History
International Star Registry was established in Toronto in 1979 by Ivor Downie. It is commonly described as one of the earliest businesses to commercialize the symbolic naming of stars for members of the public. The service was designed around the purchase of a commemorative name, usually presented as a gift or memorial, rather than around scientific observation or formal astronomical cataloguing. One of its early public associations was with the Toronto International Film Festival, which announced in 1979 that it had purchased naming rights for stars in the Andromeda Galaxy for recognition of festival patrons. John and Phyllis Mosele acquired an American franchise in 1980. Phyllis had learned about the service after using it as a personal gift for her husband. The American operation gained visibility through appearances on programs including AM Chicago and WGN's Wally Phillips' morning show. After Ivor Downie's death, the Moseles purchased sole ownership in 1981. The business subsequently remained associated with the Mosele family, with Rocky Mosele later identified as its owner. The registry's commercial model combines a symbolic naming record with physical presentation materials. Customers select a package and receive documentation such as a signed certificate, star charts, and a chart intended to identify the selected star. Higher-value or commemorative packages have included framed certificates and personalized jewelry. ISR has also maintained a written archive. Its Your Place in the Cosmos series records named stars in copyrighted volumes, beginning with a 1985 first volume and extending through at least an eleventh volume listed for 2024. The company has also stated that a catalogue of names is preserved in a Swiss vault. Although the service uses astronomical coordinates, its names have no standing as official scientific designations. ISR previously relied on the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Star Catalog and later used the NASA Star Guide, which the company said enabled it to identify stars as faint as the sixteenth magnitude. The company distinguishes its private registry from the formal work of the International Astronomical Union. This distinction became particularly important in 1998, when the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs complained about advertising that allegedly implied official naming authority. The Illinois Attorney General later concluded that the company had done nothing wrong. ISR's own explanatory material acknowledges that the IAU is the relevant international authority for official star names. The brand has been used in memorial and institutional projects. Following the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, Daytona Beach used ISR to associate stars with the seven astronauts who died. The company later recorded memorial names for victims of the September 11 attacks. In 1999, the Delaware Museum of Natural History purchased naming rights and ran a public contest that produced the name Delaware Diamond for a star in Ursa Major. The Delaware General Assembly recognized the name in 2000, although the designation remained unofficial in astronomical terms. ISR has also pursued partnerships and media exposure. A 2015 John Smith's Brewery competition used named stars as prizes for fans. In 2018, Jack in the Box worked with the company on a mascot-themed constellation promotion, while Sprint used star naming in a Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ marketing campaign. Warner Bros. Television Studios promoted The Big Bang Theory's final season with the nickname The Big Bang Dipper, and Disney+ used several ISR star names to mark the launch of its Star content hub in 2021. The service has appeared in popular culture as well, including the 2002 film A Walk to Remember and television programs such as American Dad!, talk shows, and award-season presentations. By 2017, the company was reported to have assigned names to more than two million stars. The enduring appeal of International Star Registry lies in personalization, ceremony, and emotional association. Its customers do not obtain property or scientific control over a celestial body; they purchase a private commemorative record supported by printed and giftable materials. The brand therefore occupies a niche between personalized gifts, memorial services, entertainment promotions, and novelty astronomy.
- 2024
Eleventh registry volume listed
[1]The company's bibliography lists a further Your Place in the Cosmos volume for 2024.
- 2017
More than two million stars reportedly named
[1]The company was reported to have recorded names for more than two million stars.
- 2001
September 11 memorial registrations
[1]ISR recorded star names honoring victims of the September 11 attacks.
- 2000
Delaware recognized the Delaware Diamond name
[1]The Delaware General Assembly passed legislation recognizing the unofficial Delaware Diamond star name.
- 1999
Delaware Diamond contest
[1]The Delaware Museum of Natural History held a contest to select a name for a star purchased through ISR.
- 1998
Advertising complaint over official naming claims
[1]The New York City Department of Consumer Affairs filed a complaint concerning allegedly deceptive claims about official star-naming rights.
- 1986
Challenger disaster memorial project
[1]Daytona Beach used ISR to memorialize the seven astronauts killed in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.
- 1985
First Your Place in the Cosmos volume published
[1]ISR began publishing its multi-volume record of privately named stars.
- 1981
M oseles obtained sole ownership
[1]Following Downie's death, the Moseles purchased sole ownership of the company.
- 1980
Mosele family acquired an American franchise
[1]John and Phyllis Mosele bought an American franchise, creating the basis for the company's later United States growth.
Products and positioning
A sentimental, personalized gift and memorial service offering symbolic star names and presentation materials, rather than scientifically recognized astronomical naming rights.
Personalized gift · 1979
Personalized star-naming packages
The core offering lets a customer choose a star from the company's catalogue and assign it a private commemorative name. Packages are marketed for birthdays, anniversaries, romantic gifts, tributes, and memorials. The registration is symbolic and does not alter the star's official astronomical designation or confer ownership of the star.
Gift documentation · 1979
Star certificates and charts
Registration packages include a signed certificate together with charts that identify the selected star by its catalogue information and position. The materials provide a tangible presentation for the symbolic naming transaction and are intended to help recipients locate the star in the sky, subject to the limits of unaided observation and the supplied data.
Premium gift accessories
Framed certificates and personalized jewelry
ISR has offered presentation-oriented upgrades, including framed versions of certificates and personalized jewelry. These products extend the service beyond a registry entry by turning the selected name into a displayable or wearable keepsake.
Registry publication · 1985
Your Place in the Cosmos
Your Place in the Cosmos is the company's multi-volume copyrighted record of names assigned through its service. The series began in 1985 and has included large-format volumes issued over several decades. It functions as an archival and presentation component of the registry, distinct from recognized scientific star catalogues.
Controversies
1998
Complaint concerning allegedly deceptive official-naming advertising
The New York City Department of Consumer Affairs complained that ISR advertising could mislead consumers into believing that the company sold official naming rights. The Illinois Attorney General later found that the company had done no wrongdoing. The episode highlighted the difference between ISR's private registry and the International Astronomical Union's authority over official astronomical names.
Marketing campaigns
- 2021Disney+ Star hub launch
International
Disney+ commemorated the launch of its Star content hub by naming several stars through ISR.
Outcome. The activation used star naming as a launch and brand-extension device.
- 2019The Big Bang Dipper
International
Warner Bros. Television Studios announced an ISR nickname for the Big Dipper as The Big Bang Dipper while The Big Bang Theory approached its finale.
Outcome. The project connected the registry's symbolic naming format with television publicity.
- 2018Jack in the Box mascot constellation
United States
Jack in the Box partnered with ISR to nickname a constellation in the shape of the fast-food chain's mascot and associate stars with menu items.
Outcome. The activation was timed to the coinciding observances of Star Wars Day and National Space Day.
- 2018Sprint Samsung Galaxy promotion
United States
ISR participated in a Sprint promotion connected to purchases of Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ smartphones.
Outcome. The campaign linked a personalized commemorative product with a consumer electronics launch.
- 2015John Smith's Brewery fan constellation
United Kingdom
John Smith's Brewery used an ISR naming promotion to associate stars with fans who won a competition, with the arrangement presented as a pint-glass-shaped constellation.
Outcome. The promotion extended ISR's service into branded fan engagement.
- 1999Delaware Diamond
United States
The Delaware Museum of Natural History ran a public contest after buying naming rights through ISR for a star in Ursa Major.
Outcome. The selected name, Delaware Diamond, was later recognized by the Delaware General Assembly, while remaining unofficial astronomically.
- 1979Toronto International Film Festival patron star naming
Canada
The Toronto International Film Festival announced that it had purchased naming rights for stars in the Andromeda Galaxy and would associate names with festival patrons.
Outcome. The project helped provide early public visibility for the commercial star-naming concept.
Brand decisions
2018
Expanded into branded partnership promotionsOtherBackground
ISR had developed beyond individual gifts into institutional, entertainment, and corporate campaigns.
Action taken
The company worked with Jack in the Box and Sprint on campaigns pairing private star naming with consumer-brand promotions.
Aftermath
These partnerships demonstrated the adaptability of the registry format for fan engagement and product marketing.
1998
Clarified the service as a symbolic gift rather than scientific namingStrategyBackground
Public criticism and a consumer-agency complaint focused on whether customers might interpret commercial naming rights as official astronomical authority.
Action taken
ISR's explanatory materials stated that the service is intended as a lasting gift and that the International Astronomical Union is the authority for official star names.
Aftermath
The clarification became central to understanding the company's product, while the Illinois Attorney General found no wrongdoing.
Sources2 sources
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