Map of the Universe (1500 pcs)

The artwork on this 1500-piece jigsaw puzzle pulls your eye into a star-studded black background, worthy of a genuine celestial atlas. At its center sits a massive circle that maps out the entire known star chart: a zodiac band graduated in hours and decorated with symbols encircles a web of lines and points representing stars and constellations, from Centaurus to Orion, Pegasus and Andromeda. In the upper left corner, an orange streak suggests the passing of a comet, while a small solar system diagram is tucked discreetly into the opposite corner. Lower on the left, a bluish spiral galaxy is a reminder that our own Milky Way is just one point among billions of others. Rendered in fine white lines on a dark background, the whole piece really feels like holding an astronomer's chart rather than a simple decorative illustration.

This type of puzzle is popular with science and astronomy fans who like to combine patience with learning: piecing together the night sky, one piece at a time, becomes a gradual rediscovery of where the major constellations and star clusters sit. The pieces are precision-cut from thick, matte-finished cardboard and fit together snugly to reduce popping apart, a welcome feature given how dense and detailed the artwork is.

The chart reproduced on this puzzle was not drawn for the occasion: it is the work of cartographer Tomas J. Filsinger, who first published it as a poster back in 1981 before it became a classic later adapted into a jigsaw puzzle by Ravensburger.

Dimensions: 80 cm x 60 cm once the puzzle is assembled.