Carried in Light print preview

Your Personal Starlight Map

From €89

Two dates. One sky. A real connection in light.

Personal artwork built from real astronomical data.

For birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, and meaningful milestones.

Create your personal star map



Made to order. A proof is sent for your approval before printing. Free delivery.

Made to be framed

Minimal composition on museum-grade paper — designed to read like a gallery object.

Real data

Computed for your chosen location and selected sky date — not a generic template with a date.

Two-date essence

One date defines the moment being honored. The other defines the sky shown on the print. The stars are selected by the time between them.

How it works

Proof-first and quietly precise — built around two dates.

A personalized star map connecting two moments in time.

Choose a meaningful date from the past and another date for the sky shown on the print. We create a minimalist astronomical artwork and mark the stars whose light travel time connects both moments. The print becomes a guide to the sky — a way to look at light that has been travelling since the moment you chose to honor. It is not astrology. Not a generic night-sky poster.

For example: if the two dates are 40 years apart, we can mark stars about 40 light-years away.

The light from those stars began travelling toward Earth around the earlier moment. Your print shows the sky on the selected sky date, from your chosen location, with those meaningful stars subtly marked.

1 — Choose two moments

First is the date you honor (then): a birth, wedding, first meeting, anniversary, or another date that matters.
Second is the date you observe on Earth (now). For example for 20th wedding anniversary, which will be in 3 weeks from today in Amsterdam. The two dates must be at least 15 years apart.

2 — We prepare your map

The print shows the later sky and marks stars selected from distances that correspond closely to the earlier moment.
For example if the honored moment was about 40 years ago, we look for stars about 40 light-years away. Their light began its journey around that earlier time.

3 — Approve proof → print & ship

We send you a preview first. You can check the text and layout before the print is made.
Proof within 24h on weekdays. Printed in 2–3 business days, shipped in 3–5 (EU).

Data & Method

This print is prepared from real astronomical catalogue data. Its stellar positions and distances are drawn primarily from Gaia, ESA’s mission to map the stars of the Milky Way. For some brighter stars, Hipparcos— an earlier ESA star-mapping mission — is used selectively when Gaia data is unavailable or less reliable for the purpose of the map.

Grounded in measured distance and careful calculation.

Source references

Core astronomical references used in preparing the map include:

I/355 — Gaia DR3 Part 1. Main source (Gaia Collaboration, 2022)
I/311 — Hipparcos, the New Reduction (van Leeuwen, 2007)
I/239 — The Hipparcos and Tycho Catalogues (ESA, 1997)
V/50 — Bright Star Catalogue, 5th Revised Ed. (Hoffleit et al., 1991)
IV/22 — FK5–SAO–HD–Common Name Cross Index (Smith, 1996)


Additional cross-index references are used where needed to maintain consistency across identifiers.

Personal Starlight Map 12x18 mockup [cil:12x18]

What connects the two dates

The map is calculated for the moment it is observed on Earth.
Within that sky, selected stars are marked from a narrow distance range that corresponds closely to the earlier moment being honoured.
When you look at them, you are literally looking into the past — toward the period in which the event took place.

A real connection between an earlier moment and a later one — carried in light.

Primary source

Most stars are mapped using data from Gaia, ESA’s mission for precise stellar measurement.

Selective supporting source

For some brighter stars, Hipparcos is used when Gaia data is unavailable or less reliable.

Prepared individually

Each print is calculated for your chosen dates and observation location.

Personal Starlight Map 16x20 mockup [cil:16x20]

FAQ

What makes this different from a usual star map?

A usual star map shows the sky for a single chosen date. This print works differently: it shows the later sky as observed from Earth, then marks stars from a narrow distance range that corresponds closely to the earlier moment being honoured. The marked stars are not chosen symbolically. When you look at them, you are literally looking into the past — toward the period in which the event took place.

Why do I need two dates?

Because the print connects two different moments. The earlier date determines which stars are marked, while the later date determines the sky shown on the print. The two dates must be at least 15 years apart.

Will I see the design before it is printed?

Yes. Every order includes a confirmation image for approval. Printing begins only after you have accepted the proof.

Can the observation location be different from the earlier event?

Yes. The two do not need to be the same. Many customers choose the place where a later birthday, anniversary, or other milestone is being marked.

How long does it take?

Your proof is usually prepared within 24 working hours. Once approved, printing typically takes 2–3 business days, followed by shipping.

What happens if the print arrives damaged?

If your print arrives damaged in transit, we will arrange a replacement.

Create your personal star map