Science

The sky in Van Gogh's 'Starry Night' matches the predawn sky around July 22, 1889

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Briefings

New research published in Scientific Reports confirms that the sky in Vincent van Gogh's "Starry Night" (1889) matches the actual predawn sky over Saint-Rémy on July 22, 1889. The study, conducted jointly by SLLAB and Kyung Hee University, identified a waning crescent moon, Venus, and the Hyades star cluster in Taurus appearing close together during the painting's depiction of the night sky.

Key points

• The painting's sky composition aligns with historical astronomical observations of Saint-Rémy on July 22, 1889.
• The specific celestial bodies visible in the painting include a waning crescent moon, Venus, and the Hyades star cluster in Taurus.

Context

This research challenges the long-held assumption that Van Gogh's "Starry Night" depicts a fictional or impossible sky, instead validating it against documented historical astronomical data from the same period.

Limitations

The study relies on a single source article from Scientific Reports and does not provide direct observational data or measurements from the actual 1889 event, limiting the ability to verify the visual accuracy through independent means.

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