Scott No: 1778
Serial number: T78
Values in set: 1
Date of issue: May 16, 1982
Denomination: 8 fen
Designer: Zhang Kerang
Size of stamps: 52*31mm
Perforation: 11.5
Sheet composition: 40(4*10)
Printing process: Photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

T78 "Convergence of the Nine Stars" special stamp was issued on May 16, 1982. The set consists of 1 stamp, printed by photogravure, designed by Zhang Kerang, and printed by the Beijing Stamp Factory.

Theme of the Set

The convergence of the nine stars, also called the "nine stars in a row," is an extremely rare astronomical phenomenon. In 1982, the nine major planets successively moved to the same side of the Sun twice, converging within a narrow fan-shaped range. This astronomical phenomenon has a long cycle and appears only about once every 179 years. The stamp takes this astronomical wonder as its theme, popularizing astronomical knowledge, showcasing the grandeur of the solar system and the wondrous laws of cosmic operation, and stimulating public interest in astronomical science.

Stamp Design and Historical Background

Convergence of the Nine Stars

The design uses a deep, gradually changing blue to represent the vast cosmic starry sky. At the center is the blazing, dazzling Sun, and the nine major planets are arranged along their respective orbits around the Sun, presenting in sequence from near to far Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. The planets' sizes, colors, and ring characteristics are differentiated, and Saturn's rings are clear and striking. In the upper right corner of the design are marked the dates of the two convergences: March 10 and May 16, 1982, closely tying in with the observation records of this astronomical phenomenon.

Artistic Design Features

The design adopts a modern science-popularization decorative painting style, with soft and transparent color layers, and the blue starry-sky background setting off the vastness and tranquility of the universe. The layout is arranged according to the order of the planetary orbits, intuitive and clear, transforming the abstract phenomenon of celestial movement into an accessible and beautiful picture. It is a highly representative special stamp on the theme of astronomy popularization of the 1980s.