Galaxy Origins
What it is
You tell us the date, the time and the place you met. We compute the exact point in the sky that was directly overhead at that moment, the zenith, and find the real, catalogued galaxy nearest to it that is still unassigned.
That galaxy becomes the print: a telescope photograph of that exact galaxy, resolved and graded for print, with the place, the date and up to sixty characters of your own words beneath it. Framed in a black box frame behind acrylic glazing, ready to hang.
Why not a star map
A star map draws dots for the stars that were above the horizon. It is a lovely idea, and it costs about the same as a dinner. It is also the same chart for everyone standing in your city that evening.
A Galaxy Origins print is a different object. It shows one galaxy, photographed through a telescope, the one at the very top of your sky. Its catalogue number, coordinates and distance are printed on it, and anyone can check them in the NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database. Nothing is invented.
| Star map | Galaxy Origins | |
|---|---|---|
| What you see | Plotted dots and constellation lines | A telescope photograph of one real galaxy |
| Chosen by | Everything above the horizon | The single point directly overhead |
| Shared with | Anyone nearby that night | No one. Each galaxy is assigned once |
| Checkable | Star positions | Catalogue ID, coordinates, distance, light travel time |
What you need to know
- The time matters. The sky turns about one degree every four minutes, so the hour changes the galaxy. If you only remember "around nine", that is fine: choose your best guess.
- You see it before you order. The studio shows a print proof with your words, your date and the size you choose, so you can check the spelling.
- It is not ownership, and it is not a name. Galaxies cannot be bought, and their names are not for sale. What you receive is a personal artwork of a real one, and a record that it was assigned to your moment.
