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Astronomers say van Gogh’s ‘The Starry Night’ may have been inspired by real celestial arrangement | Researchers simulated the sky above that hilly site in the early hours of July 22, 1889 where van Gogh painted, and closely matched 5 stars in “The S

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Briefings

Scientists from South Korea and Kyung Hee University analyzed van Gogh's 1889 painting 'The Starry Night' by comparing its star patterns to real celestial alignments in early July 1889. They used Procrustes shape analysis to match five visible stars in the Hyades cluster with the painting's composition, suggesting the artwork depicted a real sky rather than pure imagination. The study indicates the artist planned the star arrangement in advance and may have been incapacitated by a seizure in late July, though the exact date remains uncertain.

Key points

• Researchers matched five naked-eye stars in the Hyades cluster to the painting's central arrangement using Procrustes shape analysis.
• The study suggests van Gogh planned the star pattern in advance and may have been incapacitated by a seizure in late July 1889.

Context

A 2026 study published in Scientific Reports by South Korean researchers at SLLAB and Kyung Hee University challenges the long-held belief that 'The Starry Night' was purely imaginative. They identified the actual celestial arrangement in the early hours of July 22, 1889, and re-examined historical letters and weather records to propose a late-July 1889 observational window.

Limitations

The study relies on Procrustes shape analysis which removes size and rotation differences to match star patterns. It does not confirm the exact date of the artist's seizure, which could have affected his ability to observe the sky. The researchers explicitly state that astronomical alignments on a canvas must be interpreted with caution and that the artist was not an optical camera.

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