Different stereographic mappings allow the surface of a sphere to be depicted on a flat surface, often a circle or an ellipse.  When the celestial sphere is depicted, we are looking at an image of the entire universe at once. Scientific images of this type are very inspiring to me - they represent the summation of incredible amounts of time, energy, and ingenuity, expressed in a single image.  I have used these images to make paintings, as well as digital prints.