A memorial star map, to remember someone you love
The real night sky of a date that belongs to them — sober, accurate, made to last
When someone is gone, some dates keep all their weight: a birthday, a wedding day, a last evening together. A memorial star map shows the real sky of that date and place, with a few words of your own. It is a quiet way to keep them close.
Why choose Starry Memory
- 119,614 entries in the HYG catalogue — HYG catalogue — 119,614 entries in the HYG catalogue, the same data used by observatories.
- documented Astronomy Engine method — Planetary positions computed with Astronomy Engine (VSOP87/NOVAS).
- Any date that mattered — From 1900 to today, anywhere on Earth — your exact coordinates, your exact sky.
- Premium printing — 170 gsm silk paper, 300 DPI, archival-grade inks. Wood or metal frame optional.
- 🔭 Free 3D Sky Exploration — The immersive sky experience is offered free on the website, before or after ordering — explore the sky calculated for your date like in a planetarium. It stays optional.
Grief has no right words. The sky of a day you shared is a simple, truthful thing to hold on to: the stars really were there, exactly as shown. Most personalised gifts age poorly: the photo dates, the object reminds you of the year it was bought. A star sky poster stays outside of time — stars don't age, and the date it represents becomes more precious with the years, not less.
Which date to choose for a memorial
Most families choose the date of birth, a wedding day or a moment spent together rather than the date of the loss. Add a name, a place and a short line. Dark, sober styles suit a remembrance gift or a funeral tribute.
How precise is "the exact sky"?
Every star position is rendered from the HYG catalogue, the same database professional astronomers use. Planet positions come from Astronomy Engine calculations tested against JPL Horizons — the same data feeding mission planning. The result is verifiable against any planetarium software.
🔭 Free 3D Sky Exploration included
Our free 3D sky explorer, open to everyone on the website, is an interactive tool that lets you navigate the exact sky of your chosen date as if you were standing under the stars that night. Drag to change the angle, zoom into a specific constellation, identify every visible planet. We combine a printed poster with an immersive digital experience — not a static PDF, but a personalised planetarium for your moment.
Picking the right graphic theme for your poster
Six collection styles are available in the creator, each adjustable (colours, typography, constellations). Atelier Ivoire pairs a light background with dark stars, suited to a Scandinavian interior or an already-busy wall. Nuit d’Or and Bleu Minuit use a deep background with bright stars, for an adult bedroom or an office. Rose Aube brings soft tones, often chosen for a child’s room or a birth gift. Sauge Botanique evokes nature and suits bohemian interiors. Gravure Céleste recalls antique astronomy plates. This page works with all six; check the rendering in the preview before choosing a format.
Who gifts a Starry Memory poster — and for what
Occasions fall into three main families. First, family celebrations: birth, baptism, wedding anniversary, parent's birthday — the goal is to capture a moment the whole family shares. Second, couples: the sky of the first date, of moving in together, of the engagement, of the honeymoon. The poster becomes a landmark in the relationship's timeline. Third, personal attentions — for a friend getting married, a colleague retiring, a child graduating. This page covers exactly this type of attention: a gift that goes beyond the object to become a signal of genuine care.
The astronomical precision behind every chart
Every star position on your poster is computed from the HYG catalogue, which combines the three reference astronomical databases: Hipparcos (European Space Agency mission, 1989-1993), Yale Bright Star Catalogue, and Gliese Catalogue. Planetary positions are calculated with Astronomy Engine (VSOP87 and NOVAS models), an open-source library tested against JPL Horizons that documents an angular accuracy of about one arcminute. You can compare the main landmarks with Stellarium, SkySafari or Cartes du Ciel for the same date, time and place.
Frequently asked questions
Is the sky on a memorial star map accurate?
Yes — verify with Stellarium or any planetarium software, you'll find the same star positions, the same planets, the same moon phase.
Do you ship to the UK / US / Canada / Australia?
Yes. The digital file is available worldwide. Physical delivery is offered to supported destinations; physical format availability, delivery timing and any supplement are checked for your destination before payment.
What's included in the order?
The high-resolution star map (4960×7016 px, 300 DPI) + a personalised illustrated poem generated from the brightest stars visible that night.
How quickly will it arrive?
Digital file: 30 seconds after payment. Physical formats are offered to supported destinations; availability, delivery timing and any supplement are checked before payment.
How does the 3D sky exploration work?
On the website, the immersive experience gives free access to an interactive web planetarium, before or after ordering. You can rotate the celestial sphere, zoom into any constellation, recognise the bright named stars. No installation required — works on smartphone, tablet or computer.
Does the poster work for a future date?
Yes — we can compute the sky up to 2100. The computation remains accurate, as star positions change very slowly on a human timescale.
✦ Personalised star certificate
For a person rather than a date: give them a star
A personalised certificate with a QR code: one smartphone scan shows the star in 3D, then its direction in the real sky.
- Choose a real star and its name
- Scan the certificate’s QR code, no app needed
- Find it in the sky with your smartphone
From €8.91 · PDF to download as soon as you pay
Symbolic dedication in the private Starry Memory registry. Depending on its brightness and the weather, you’ll see it with the naked eye, with binoculars, or find its direction.
Name a star: the certificate in detail
Name a star in memory of a loved one
Rather the sky of a date and place? Create a star map · HD file €3.99