The sky on
your birthday.
A MACHO View of Galactic Dark Matter
What is our galaxy made of? Stellar motions indicate far more mass than just stars and gas. Images like these may offer a clue about dark matter. This is the first recorded instance of a dim star in our galaxy moving in front of a bright background star. The foreground star's gravity deflected light, making the background star appear much brighter.
We cannot put this date's photograph on paper at poster size. We can print the nearest public archive plate to your date instead.
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Released on your day
Space pictures released on your month and day in other years, or a few days either side. Each one is sharp enough to print as a poster.
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Released on 2 February 2020 Zeta Oph: Runaway Star See it as a poster -
Released on 2 February 2011 Wide Field Imager view of the spiral galaxy NGC 3621 See it as a poster -
Released on 2 February 2025 The Milky Way appears beyond Earth's horizon See it as a poster -
Released on 2 February 2013 Herschel's Andromeda See it as a poster -
Released on 2 February 2025 Comet G3 ATLAS Disintegrates See it as a poster
In tropical astrology, 2 FEB 1996 falls under Aquarius (♒). The sign's window runs from 01-20 through 02-18. Aquarius is home to the Helix Nebula, the closest planetary nebula to Earth. The Sun was crossing this region of the sky on 2 FEB 1996.
Questions about February 2, 1996
What space photo was released on February 2, 1996?
NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for February 2, 1996 was "A MACHO View of Galactic Dark Matter". It's the card at the top of this page.
What was the Moon's phase on February 2, 1996?
A waxing gibbous moon, about 95% lit.
What day of the week was February 2, 1996?
February 2, 1996 was a Friday, day 33 of the 366 days in 1996.
Is it free?
Yes. Seeing, sharing and downloading the card is free, and there's no account to make.