The sources of light in the painting are the moon and the numerous bright stars. Van Gogh creates a powerful sky that sits above the city at night. The eleven stars together with the moon create a sense of unification in the night sky. The circular stars help them separate from the rest of the stars in the image. The moon and stars add brightness to an otherwise dark and cold scene. The moon in the corner of the painting adds a different brightness to the night sky. The moon radiates a brighter yellow-orange color than any other star in the sky. The moon appears brighter than all other stars because it has a larger halo around the crescent. You could say that the halo around the crescent moon almost makes the moon look like the sun. The contrast between dark and light emphasizes the emotion represented in the painting. Additionally, movement in the sky can be seen with light-dark contrast. The bright yellow stars above the sleeping city look like huge fireballs that illuminate and contrast with the cold blue night