The night it started

Why a star map for an anniversary

An anniversary celebrates a number — ten years, twenty-five, fifty — but the number itself says little. A star map turns it into a place and a moment. What makes this map special for anniversaries is that you have a choice: the day of the wedding, the day you met, or the day it all began. For older anniversaries that is often a date nobody has a photograph of, and then this is the only tangible image of that moment.

Which date to pick

For a wedding anniversary the wedding date is the obvious one. But do also consider the day you first met, or the day of the proposal — those dates are more personal and often more surprising as a gift. Every date from 1 January 1900 onwards works, so a golden or diamond anniversary is no problem either. If you only remember the month, pick a day that means something; nobody can check the sky against the record, but you know why it hangs there.

How it works

You choose a date, a time and a place. From that we calculate the exact star positions using the HYG catalogue and the IAU 1982 sidereal time formula — the same method professional planetarium software uses. What you see in the preview is what gets printed.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use a date from fifty years ago?

Yes. We support every date between 1 January 1900 and 31 December 2100. For a golden or diamond anniversary the calculation is just as accurate as it is for yesterday.

What if we’re no longer sure of the exact wedding date?

If the date is on the marriage certificate or in the marriage book, that is the most reliable source. If you can’t work it out, pick a date that feels right to you — the map is a keepsake, not a legal document.

Does this work as a gift from children to their parents?

That is one of the most common anniversary orders. All you need is the wedding date and the town, and those are usually in the marriage book.