The sky on
your birthday.
What are Comet Tails Made Of?
Comet Hyakutake's tail, captured in this color image, is made of dust and gas. The Sun's heat drives these materials off the icy comet nucleus. The solar wind then pushes them away. Solar ultraviolet light makes the gas molecules glow, which is why we can see the tail. Astronomers used spectroscopes to identify the compounds in this glow during the comet's close passage.
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 26 March 2025 JADES-GS-z13-1 (NIRCam close-up) See it as a poster -
Released on 26 March 2015 Galaxy cluster Abell 2744 with dark matter map See it as a poster -
Released on 26 March 1998 Har Crater on Callisto See it as a poster -
Released on 26 March 2026 Black Holes and Neutron Stars: 218 Mergers and Counting See it as a poster -
Released on 26 March 2022 Pluto at Night See it as a poster
In tropical astrology, 26 MAR 1996 falls under Aries (♈). The sign's window runs from 03-21 through 04-19. Aries is the constellation traditionally tied to spring's arrival in the northern hemisphere. The Sun was crossing this region of the sky on 26 MAR 1996.
Questions about March 26, 1996
What space photo was released on March 26, 1996?
NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for March 26, 1996 was "What are Comet Tails Made Of?". It's the card at the top of this page.
What was the Moon's phase on March 26, 1996?
A first quarter moon, about 43% lit.
What day of the week was March 26, 1996?
March 26, 1996 was a Tuesday, day 86 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.