The sky on
your birthday.
At the Edge of the Helix
The Helix Nebula is what's left of a star like our Sun, after it ran out of fuel. The star blew off its outer layers, and now the core heats the gas, making it glow. The Hubble Space Telescope's Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 shows the inner edge of the gas cloud, where the ultraviolet light from the central star is strongest. This region is about 650 light-years away in the constellation Aquarius.
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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 20 July 2012 Comet Shoemaker: Levy 9 observations See it as a poster -
Released on 20 July 2011 Wide-field view of the sky around NGC 1929 See it as a poster -
Released on 20 July 2018 The Sun's glint reflects off the Pacific Ocean shadowed by a line of cumulonimbus clouds as the International Space See it as a poster -
Released on 20 July 2018 One of four basket ball court-sized main solar arrays that power the International Space Station contrasts the bright See it as a poster -
Released on 20 July 2020 A Discovery of Ghostly Arms See it as a poster
In tropical astrology, 20 JUL 1997 falls under Cancer (♋). The sign's window runs from 06-21 through 07-22. Cancer is marked by the Beehive Cluster, M44, a loose family of stars visible to the naked eye on a dark night. The Sun was crossing this region of the sky on 20 JUL 1997.
Questions about July 20, 1997
What space photo was released on July 20, 1997?
NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for July 20, 1997 was "At the Edge of the Helix". It's the card at the top of this page.
What was the Moon's phase on July 20, 1997?
A full moon, about 100% lit.
What day of the week was July 20, 1997?
July 20, 1997 was a Sunday, day 201 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.