Shining Stars are a line of plush animal toys that come with a unique interactive pitch for children: each animal comes with a secret code, with which the purchaser may "name a star," on the Shiningstars.com website. The names are recorded by a company called the International Star Registry, which purports to sell rights to the naming of celestial bodies. Shining Stars are made by the longtime stuffed-animal manufacturer Russ Berrie.
Legitimacy
According to Snopes.com, the only way to officially name a star is to do so with the Paris-based International Astronomical Union, which is unaffiliated with the International Star Registry.
Selected Models
References
Fast Facts
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Developed by
Russ Berrie toy company, with International Star Registry
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Retail Price
Approximately $15.00
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Fact:
Stuffed animals come with online input code for the "naming" of stars
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Website
Shiningstars.com
