Personalised birth star print — the sky around the star whose light is your age

A birth star print: the sky centred on the real star whose light is as old as the person you are celebrating — Vega for a 25th birthday, 25 light years away; Arcturus for a 37th. The light arriving from it that day set off around the time they were born. Around it, the real stars, and a constellation you draw and name yourself. It is made to order.

Nobody can sell the official name of a star: the International Astronomical Union, which names stars, never does so for money, and the certificates sold by star-naming websites have no official standing. Here, the only thing for sale is the print: the star is real, its distance is measured, and the name you give your constellation is yours, printed on the poster.

By the number of years you are celebrating. Among the stars whose distance is known to within half a light year, measured by the European Space Agency’s Gaia or Hipparcos satellites, we keep those less than half a light year from that number, and pick the brightest that can be seen from Europe. For 25 years it is Vega; for 37, Arcturus; for 43, Capella.

A light year is the distance light travels in a year: a star 25 light years away sends us light that set off 25 years ago. Because the chosen star is less than half a light year from the number of years, and its distance is known to within half a light year, its light set off less than a year either side of the date — not to the day, and the print does not claim it did.

Because no star is closer to us than Alpha Centauri and its small neighbour Proxima, just over 4 light years away. For a child aged 1 to 3, the print can be made for their 4th birthday: the light from Alpha Centauri that set off when they were born arrives within a year of that day. For ages 5 and 7, no star in the catalogue is at the right distance: the print says so and shows the star whose distance comes closest.

Usually, yes: Vega, Arcturus, Capella and Pollux can be seen even from a town. A few ages fall on a star too faint for the eye, like Barnard’s Star for 6 years, which you need a telescope to find. And about one age in seven falls on a star of the southern sky, such as Alpha Centauri, which never rises above Ireland. The editor tells you as soon as you choose the years.

In the editor, tap a star to put the pen down, then another to draw a line, up to twelve lines; tap the same star again to lift the pen. You can only join real stars bright enough to be seen with the naked eye. If you draw nothing, the print keeps the suggested lines around the star.

The sky within forty degrees of the star, with every naked-eye star in that patch, north at the top and east on the left as on a star chart; your constellation and its name in large letters; a line giving the star’s distance; then its name, its constellation, its magnitude and its position, a first name and the date.

A birthday (“your star at 30”), the anniversary of the day you met (“our star, 10 years on”) or a wedding anniversary (“our star, 20 years married”): the wording on the print follows the occasion you choose. It makes a thoughtful gift for a milestone birthday, for Christmas, for your partner, or for anyone who loves stargazing.

A4, 30 × 40, 40 × 60, 50 × 70 and 70 × 100 cm: standard frame sizes, easy to find. Optional wooden frame on the A4 and 30 × 40, in black, white or natural, with acrylic glass; the larger sizes ship rolled, to frame at home.

250 g/m² satin matte paper, lightfast pigment inks. Printed to order in our workshop up to 40 × 60, by our printer beyond that. Shipped rolled, in a sturdy long cardboard box; the A4 travels flat, in a stiff card envelope.

Yes. The print-ready file contains all five sizes, each as a PDF and as a 300 dpi PNG — ten files in all, by a download link sent after payment, to print wherever you like.

Your poster is dispatched within 48 hours, then delivered in six to seven days to Ireland and the rest of the EU (four to five in France) — to your home or a pickup point, home delivery only for the 50 × 70 and 70 × 100. For a fixed date, allow ten days outside France. The download link for the print-ready file is sent as soon as payment is confirmed.