Most of us aren’t looking up at the stars when something life-changing happens. You’re usually focused on the person in front of you or the new baby in your arms. But even if you didn’t look up that night the stars were still there as a silent witness to your story. A custom star map is an incredible way to represent that specific date forever.
I started this company because of a single night under the stars in Croatia. I wanted a gift that captured the night I met my future wife but I couldn’t find any star maps that looked real. They were all just black and white graphics that didn’t really inspire me. I spent weeks researching and modifying a planetarium software to recreate the true color and glow that you see in night sky photography, with a beautiful full-color Milky Way and the moon. That first star map became the foundation for everything we do here.
A custom star map brings the night sky back into your life by showing the stars, Milky Way and planets from the exact time and place you choose. This isn’t just a graphic or a rough guess because it shows the actual exact alignment of everything over your head when your child was born or when you met the person who changed your life.
How a star map captures a real moment
The sky is constantly moving because the Earth rotates and the planets are always shifting in their orbits. The moon changes its phase every night and the Milky Way moves across the sky in a way that never repeats exactly. This means that no two skies are ever the same, and a custom star map is a way to lock one of those unique moments in place forever.
When you pick a date and location we recreate exactly what was visible from that specific place. The stars you see on the edges of the map were near the horizon that night while the stars in the middle were right above your head. Most people don’t consciously remember what the sky looked like on their wedding night but seeing it rendered accurately on a map usually makes the whole memory feel real again.
What makes our star maps unique
There’s a big difference between our star maps and most others you may have seen. Many companies use automated software to create black and white images that only show a few bright stars, and the results usually feel dull and flat. To be honest some of these other star maps look more like a game of connect the dots where someone forgot to draw the lines.
We create our star maps using the same type of software that planetariums use. It calculates the position of every star and planet based on your exact time and location so you get the true recreation of the sky. We also edit each individual star map by hand to bring out the colors, detail and realism you won’t find anywhere else, and to ensure each one is perfect.
What you’ll see on your custom star map
Our star maps include a lot more detail than most other companies.
- Every visible star. We don’t just show the big ones. You get thousands of stars that you would never be able to see with your own eyes.
- The planets. If Venus or Jupiter were out that night they’ll show up in their correct positions.
- The moon. We show the moon in its exact phase from that night with correct shadowing.
- The Milky Way. If it was visible from your spot on Earth it appears as a glowing band across the sky.
- Compass directions. We include a border that shows north and south to help you understand how the sky was oriented. The West and East on the compass is flipped because you’re looking up at the sky, rather than down at earth like a traditional compass.
Why we create every star map by hand
Software can generate a basic star map in seconds, but an automated program can’t make a piece of art feel personal. Every star map we make is created by hand because we want to manually adjust the colors and the contrast to bring out the beauty of the stars. This process takes a lot more time than using automated software, but it results in a final image with much more emotional weight. You can see the difference between our star maps and these ones from The Night Sky and Under Lucky Stars which look like black and white clip art.
You’ll notice that we don’t show an instant preview on our website because your star map hasn’t been built yet. We treat every order as a custom piece of art and many of our customers enjoy the surprise of seeing the finished work for the first time when it arrives. If you prefer to check the design before we print it you can add proof upgrade to your order and we’ll send you a digital image to approve.
Picking the right moment for your star map
These are the perfect gifts for many different occasions and moments. The most popular would be for the night of a wedding or the day a child was born, but other moments can be just as powerful. It might be the night of a first date that led to a lifetime together, a first kiss, a memorial memory, or the date you got that special pet that became part of the family. They’re the perfect Christmas gifts, Anniversary gifts, Valentines Day gifts, Mother’s Day gift, Father’s Day gifts, or newborn gifts.
Whatever it is, you can pick any date from any date in the past (and you can even pick a future date if you want to celebrate an upcoming wedding or event). We’ve even had people map the sky for their cat’s birthday.
How the time and location change the sky
The time of day or night you choose will change exactly which stars appear on your map. Even a few hours makes a big difference. By default, we use the time of 11 pm because the sky is dark and the stars are very bright at that time. However you can choose any exact time you want, and if your moment happened during the day the sun will show up as a bright star on the map, but all the stars will still be perfectly visible – even if we couldn’t see them ourselves on Earth.
We also have an option to let us choose the time of night when the core of the Milky Way was most visible. This will ensure you get the most visually stunning star map possible.
Your location is just as important because obviously someone in New York sees a completely different sky than someone in London at the same moment. We use your specific location to make sure the star map is 100% unique. This is why the final product feels so personal, and you can customize down to an exact address for maximum accuracy if you want.
Writing a message for your star map
Every map is fully customizable and you can add names or a title to make it your own. Some people choose to include a favorite quote or a short sentence that explains why that specific night mattered so much.
If you’re not sure what to write you should just think about what you want to remember 10 or 20 years from now. If you want some ideas check out our Gift Ideas and Quotes page, or you can ask Betty the Bot for a list of ideas to get some inspiration from.
Choosing the right size and frame
We offer several different sizes to fit the space you have in your home. The 8×10 inch size is great for a desk or a shelf. The larger 16×20 or 18×24 inch prints work better as a main piece of art on a wall in a living room or a bedroom. We can also do any larger or smaller custom size by request, just get in touch with us.
You can order a poster on its own or you can choose to have us frame it so it arrives ready to hang. Our frames come in black or white or a natural wood finish and they all have a clean profile that looks great in any room. We also offer digital download versions that you can get right away without waiting for shipping, and have them printed yourself locally on the medium of your choice (poster, canvas, acrylic etc).
Materials that are built to last
A memory this important deserves to be printed on materials that’ll stand the test of time. We use heavyweight paper with a soft finish and archival inks that are designed to stay vibrant for a lifetime without fading. The frames are made from high quality materials and include clear acrylic to protect the art while keeping it safe during shipping. We want these maps to be pieces of history that will last forever.
A piece of the universe that belongs to you
There are thousands of ways to give a gift, but there aren’t many that say you want to remember a moment forever. A custom star map doesn’t try to be something practical that you’ll eventually use up or replace. It exists for one reason, and that’s to hold onto a night that changed your life.
When you look at your custom star map on the wall, you aren’t just looking at dots on paper. You’re looking at the night your world changed. We believe some moments in life are worth capturing exactly as they were, and that’s why we put so much care into every custom star map we build.
It’s a piece of the universe that belongs to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I order a star map for a future date?
Yes you can. Since the alignment of the stars is predictable based on Earth’s rotation we can create maps for upcoming weddings or planned events.
What if my moment happened during the day?
You can choose the actual daytime hour and the sun will show up as a bright star. Or you can choose a nighttime hour from that same date if you’d prefer to see the “stars on that night”.
How accurate are the star positions?
They are 100% accurate. We use planetarium projector software to create each one by hand.
Can I see a preview before you print?
Each map is created by hand so there’s no instant preview. But you can add a proof upgrade and we’ll send you a digital image for approval before we print it.
How long does shipping take?
Digital downloads arrive within 24 hours. Posters usually ship in five to seven business days after 2-3 days in printing/production. Framed prints take a few extra days for production. See our Shipping page for details.
What if I made a mistake in my order?
Contact us right away. If we haven’t printed your star map yet we can usually update your details.
Do you ship internationally?
Yes we ship worldwide and your shipping costs will be calculated at checkout.
