The sky on
your birthday.
“Alpha Centauri: The Closest Star System” is copyrighted by STSci Digitized Sky Survey, Anglo-Australian Observatory. NASA has permission to show it and we don't, so it isn't on this card.
See it on NASA's siteAlpha Centauri is the closest star system to our Sun. It consists of three stars, with Proxima Centauri being the nearest of them. Alpha Centauri A and B form a close binary, separated by a distance slightly greater than Uranus's orbit. Their brightness in photos can create an illusion of great size.
The Crab Nebula
ESA/Hubble released this picture on 30 May 1996. That is the day it was published, not the day it was taken.
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 May 2025 Paired pinwheel seen solo See it as a poster -
Released on 26 May 2021 The full Moon is pictured before a lunar eclipse from the International Space Station during a southwest to northeast See it as a poster -
Released on 26 May 2021 The Moon pictured during a lunar eclipse is seen from the International Space Station during a northwest to southeast See it as a poster -
Released on 26 May 2021 The Moon pictured during a lunar eclipse, and intersecting with the Earth's horizon, is seen from the International See it as a poster -
Released on 26 May 2024 The sun's glint beams off the Gulf of California contrasting Mexico's coastal states of Baja California (bottom) See it as a poster
In tropical astrology, 26 MAY 1996 falls under Gemini (♊). The sign's window runs from 05-21 through 06-20. Gemini is named for the twin stars Castor and Pollux, both bright enough to spot without a telescope. The Sun was crossing this region of the sky on 26 MAY 1996.
Questions about May 26, 1996
What space photo was released on May 26, 1996?
NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for May 26, 1996 was "Alpha Centauri: The Closest Star System". It's a photographer's copyrighted image, so we link to it on NASA's site and show the Sun or the Earth that day instead.
What was the Moon's phase on May 26, 1996?
A first quarter moon, about 63% lit.
What day of the week was May 26, 1996?
May 26, 1996 was a Sunday, day 147 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.