Map of the Universe 1500-piece jigsaw puzzle from Ravensburger

"Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying."
Arthur C. Clarke

Earlier this month the whole world was astonished to see the first picture of the black hole at the centre of Messier 87, a massive galaxy in the nearby Virgo galaxy cluster. It is 55 million light-years away from Earth. It is an exciting and scary sight.

In the last few weeks galaxies and stars were pretty much on my mind, as I was working on a new stunning Map of the Universe 1500-piece jigsaw puzzle from Ravensburger.

If you enjoy challenging jigsaw puzzles, this is one fiendish puzzle, and I say that as a compliment.
It took me many days to complete, and when the last piece of puzzle was slotted in, I felt like celebrating.

This is an amazingly detailed image of the Universe, with galaxies, solar system, stars and constellations.

The colour palette is restricted, there is a lot of black, with small fonts and thin-line images.

Typically I start with finding the frame pieces, and once the frame is established I build inwards.
With this puzzle, I found it quite tricky to begin with the frame, as the pieces were all black.

My tips would be to start sorting by whatever jigsaw pieces with colour you can find, and assemble the bigger wheel with months in it.

This is the work in progress:

Then it's the turn of the inner circles. Gradually build in the corners with the Spectra, Galaxies, Stars and Solar System.

It might help if you have a knowledge of the map of the Universe, and move the pieces to their approximate locations (I'm not one of those clever people, alas).

The fonts for names vary, some are easier to read, some need a magnifying glass to read (I got one in the Poundland).

Like all Ravensburger puzzles, this jigsaw puzzle is made from strong premium grade cardboard, with linen finish to minimise glare on puzzle image.

The drawings of the constellations are beautifully executed.
My younger son and I are reading Greek Myths at the moment, and he was interested to see the names of the characters like Hercules, Orion, Pegasus, Centaurus, Andromeda etc.

This puzzle could be a great educational tool.

The attention to detail is astonishing. It's a true work of art.

This beautiful puzzle will make an excellent gift for any jigsaw puzzle fan. Work on it on your own, or as a family project, and learn about the mysteries and beauty of the Universe.

Disclosure: I received the jigsaw puzzle for the purposes of reviewing. All opinions are my own.