The sky on
your birthday.
Night Lightning on Jupiter
This photograph from the Galileo spacecraft shows lightning on Jupiter. On Earth, lightning forms in clouds with colliding ice and water droplets. Astronomers theorize that Jovian lightning also forms in water ice clouds. This image helps investigate the cause of these electrical discharges in Jupiter's atmosphere.
We cannot put this date's photograph on paper at poster size. We can print the nearest public archive plate to your date instead.
Prints are coming soon. The card is free to save and share in the meantime.
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 16 December 2024 Seeing eye to eye See it as a poster -
Released on 16 December 2004 A new view of the Helix Nebula See it as a poster -
Released on 16 December 2009 The star GJ1214 See it as a poster -
Released on 16 December 2008 NGC 2264 and the Christmas Tree cluster* See it as a poster -
Released on 16 December 2004 Helix Nebula: HST/CTIO Image See it as a poster
In tropical astrology, 16 DEC 1997 falls under Sagittarius (♐). The sign's window runs from 11-22 through 12-21. Sagittarius points straight at the center of the Milky Way, our galaxy's brightest region. The Sun was crossing this region of the sky on 16 DEC 1997.
Questions about December 16, 1997
What space photo was released on December 16, 1997?
NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for December 16, 1997 was "Night Lightning on Jupiter". It's the card at the top of this page.
What was the Moon's phase on December 16, 1997?
A full moon, about 96% lit.
What day of the week was December 16, 1997?
December 16, 1997 was a Tuesday, day 350 of the 365 days in 1997.
Was there a meteor shower on December 16, 1997?
Yes: the Geminid shower, peaked 2 days ago.
Is it free?
Yes. Seeing, sharing and downloading the card is free, and there's no account to make.