The sky on
your birthday.
The First Explorer
The first US satellite, Explorer 1, launched in 1958. It was the fourth stage of a Jupiter-C rocket, a modified US Army Redstone ballistic missile. Explorer 1 carried instruments to measure temperatures, micrometeorite impacts, and a James A. Van Allen experiment. This experiment led to the discovery of Earth's radiation belts.
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 18 May 2015 Hubble revisits tangled NGC 6240 See it as a poster -
Released on 18 May 2026 Moon Venus Conjunction See it as a poster -
Released on 18 May 2018 A portion the Innamincka Regional Reserve, surrounded by the Strzlecki Desert, is seen in the northeast part See it as a poster -
Released on 18 May 2019 The full moon is pictured from the International Space Station as the orbiting complex orbited 263 miles See it as a poster -
Released on 18 May 2015 Stars setting See it as a poster
In tropical astrology, 18 MAY 1997 falls under Taurus (♉). The sign's window runs from 04-20 through 05-20. Taurus holds the Pleiades star cluster and Aldebaran, the red giant that marks the eye of the Bull. The Sun was crossing this region of the sky on 18 MAY 1997.
Questions about May 18, 1997
What space photo was released on May 18, 1997?
NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for May 18, 1997 was "The First Explorer". It's the card at the top of this page.
What was the Moon's phase on May 18, 1997?
A waxing gibbous moon, about 87% lit.
What day of the week was May 18, 1997?
May 18, 1997 was a Sunday, day 138 of the 365 days in 1997.
Is it free?
Yes. Seeing, sharing and downloading the card is free, and there's no account to make.