A van Gogh painting hides a secret. Astronomers made a surprising discovery

South Korean researchers found that the celestial arrangement in Van Gogh's "Starry Night" matches the sky over southern France on July 22, 1889. This challenges previous assumptions about the painting's creation date, suggesting it was inspired by a real sky rather than solely imagination. The study indicates that the artwork may have been completed about a month later than previously thought, during Van Gogh's stay at a psychiatric facility. The researchers analyzed the positions of celestial bodies and the landscape around the facility, concluding that the moon, Venus, and the Hyades cluster were visible from Van Gogh's window on that date. Their findings highlight the possibility that the painting reflects an actual view of the sky.