Study suggests Van Gogh painted The Starry Night in July 1889

A new study published in Scientific Reports suggests that Vincent van Gogh may have been inspired by the sky on the morning of July 22, 1889, in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France, rather than the traditionally accepted date in June.

Led by astronomer Elijah Jeong-hyun Kim, the research team used mathematical simulations to reconstruct the night sky. Their findings indicate that the positioning of the waning moon, Venus, and the Hyades star cluster in the constellation Taurus aligns with the visual elements present in the painting. This contradicts a 1984 hypothesis by Albert Boime, which placed the scene in June.

While the study offers a new astronomical perspective, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York and the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam currently maintain the June dating. Historians also note that Van Gogh experienced mental health crises during mid-July 1889, which may have impacted his ability to observe the sky.