The sky on
your birthday.
Man Enters Space
Thirty-five years ago, on April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space. His Vostok 1 spacecraft orbited Earth once at an altitude of 200 miles. Gagarin was a passenger, with his controls locked out, and parachuted to Earth after ejecting from the Vostok at 20,000 feet.
We cannot put this date's photograph on paper at poster size. We can print the nearest public archive plate to your date instead.
See print sizesPrinted, shipped and sold by Zazzle
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.
-
Released on 12 April 2011 Wide field view of Abell 383 (ground-based image) See it as a poster -
Released on 12 April 2012 Wide-field view of the sky around the bright star Fomalhaut See it as a poster -
Released on 12 April 2016 Combined Solar Eclipse Corona from Earth and Space See it as a poster -
Released on 12 April 2012 Lone Blazar See it as a poster -
Released on 12 April 2026 The aurora australis arcs above Earth’s horizon See it as a poster
In tropical astrology, 12 APR 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 12 APR 1996.
Questions about April 12, 1996
What space photo was released on April 12, 1996?
NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for April 12, 1996 was "Man Enters Space". It's the card at the top of this page.
What was the Moon's phase on April 12, 1996?
A last quarter moon, about 34% lit.
What day of the week was April 12, 1996?
April 12, 1996 was a Friday, day 103 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.