Galaxy Star Map

Every star on the map is real. We plot around 9,000 stars from the HYG catalog, down to magnitude 6.5, which is the limit of what a person can see with the naked eye under a dark sky, and we draw all 88 constellations recognised by the International Astronomical Union with their official line figures. The positions are computed for your coordinates and your minute, for any date between 1900 and 2100.

The nebula behind the circle is a photograph, not a rendering, and it is the same on every Galaxy map. It is there for atmosphere, not accuracy: it does not show the real position of the Milky Way on your date. The circle in front of it does. If you want the sky and nothing else, the Navy or Noir designs use the same chart on a plain ground.

• Anniversaries and the night you met. The glow and the colour make it the most romantic of the dark designs without tipping into pink. It is the design our anniversary customers choose most often.
• Valentine's Day. Deep blue and violet read as night rather than as a greeting card, which suits couples who want something that stays on the wall after February.
• Birthdays for someone who loves space. The nebula does the talking; the date beneath it makes it theirs.
• A gift for a teenager or a student. The Galaxy design sits comfortably next to posters and desk lamps, where the paper designs can look formal.

It is a less natural fit for memorials, where the plain Black Disc or Noir designs are calmer, and for pale nurseries, where Moon and Paper sit better.

The poster ground is a deep ink navy, almost black, and the nebula lifts it with blue, violet and a touch of magenta toward the edges. Stars are white with a faint warm or cool tint drawn from each star's real colour index, so the brightest ones differ subtly from one another, as they do in the sky. Constellation lines are a soft slate blue that stays visible without competing with the stars.

Printed, the design is at its best on the semi-gloss paper our framed prints use, which keeps the dark ground rich and the highlights crisp. At home, print it on a heavy matte or satin photo paper rather than plain copier stock; dark designs need ink coverage that thin paper cannot hold. The black wood frame we ship disappears against the dark ground and lets the nebula run to the edge of the mat.

On the wall, Galaxy holds its own in a dark or mid-tone room, above a bed, a sofa or a desk. In a very bright white room it becomes the focal point of the wall, which is either exactly what you want or a reason to look at Navy Disc instead.

The title is set in capitals above the circle; the subtitle sits beneath the date and coordinates. Short lines look best:

• The night we met / and every night since
• Emma and Daniel / under these exact stars
• Written in the stars / Lisbon, 14 June 2016
• Happy birthday, Leo / the sky the night you arrived
• Ten years / same sky, same us

You can also hide the coordinates, the place or the date individually, switch off the constellation lines for a cleaner field of stars, or remove the horizon ring.

The digital map costs $25 and includes a PNG and a print-ready PDF at 300 DPI, sized for 12x16, 18x24 and 24x36 inch frames. Files arrive by email within minutes of purchase.

Framed prints are $69 for 12x16, $109 for 18x24 and $179 for 24x36. Each comes in a black wood frame with an acrylic front on semi-gloss paper, ready to hang. Shipping is free to the US and 40+ countries and usually takes 7 to 12 business days.

You can add your own photo to any map for $19. Every order is covered by a 14-day money-back guarantee, counted from purchase for digital files and from delivery for framed prints.