# Can you buy a black hole? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 29, 2004, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-buy-a-black-hole/237029 "2004-03-29T05:12:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tross](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/97f17d/32.png) [@Tross](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tross)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-buy-a-black-hole/237029/1 "2004-03-29T05:12:27Z")
Can you buy the naming rights, or the property rights, to a black hole? Seriously. TIA ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-buy-a-black-hole/237029/2 "2004-03-29T05:14:12Z")
I would imagine you would have to contact the owner of said black hole and make them an offer. Seriously, like the Name a Star scams, you can pay $40 to name a star after someone and have it listed in the International Star Registry, but that means jack sh-- to the scientists. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-buy-a-black-hole/237029/3 "2004-03-29T05:15:54Z")
No. Nor any other astronomical body, in fact. Only the [IAU](http://www.iau.org/IAU/FAQ/starnames.html) has the authority to name celestial objects. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-buy-a-black-hole/237029/4 "2004-03-29T05:20:42Z")
Yes, right [HERE](http://www.villainsupply.com/doomsday.html) and for a mere 9.99!\* \*_Shipping costs not included_ ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-buy-a-black-hole/237029/5 "2004-03-29T05:22:05Z")
I can rent you one… send me the money and ask your friends. They’ll all agree your $$$ went into a black hole. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![owlofcreamcheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@owlofcreamcheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlofcreamcheese)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-buy-a-black-hole/237029/6 "2004-03-29T05:48:30Z")
no, prostitution is illegal in the united states. (I’m hilarious!) ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-buy-a-black-hole/237029/7 "2004-03-29T14:23:37Z")
> [@owlofcreamcheese](#): > > no, prostitution is illegal in the united states. > > (I’m hilarious!) And wrong. It is legal in certain counties in Nevada. [http://www.worldsexguide.org/nv\_legal.html](http://www.worldsexguide.org/nv_legal.html) ---
**Author:** ![OxyMoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9a140/32.png) [@OxyMoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OxyMoron)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-buy-a-black-hole/237029/8 "2004-03-29T16:36:55Z")
Of course, _lots_ of black holes are available, particularly in real estate, where they are known as “fixer-uppers.” And so far as _time_ is concerned, well, SDMB registration is a mere $4.95… ---
**Author:** ![drewbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drewbert/32/15890_2.png) [@drewbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewbert)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-buy-a-black-hole/237029/9 "2004-03-29T17:32:19Z")
No, but you can [own a piece of Uranus](http://www.buyuranus.com/). ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-buy-a-black-hole/237029/10 "2004-03-29T17:34:34Z")
> [@drewbert](#): > > No, but you can [own a piece of Uranus](http://www.buyuranus.com/). There’s a joke in there somewhere…