The sky on
your birthday.
A Winter Solstice
This image of the Sun, taken by the SOHO observatory, shows prominences and active regions in ionized Helium. The Sun is progressing toward a maximum in its 11-year activity cycle. Today is the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, the shortest day of the year.
Heavy matte paper, about 200 gsm, printed in the United States and shipped free. The card stays free, the print is the thing you keep.
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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 21 December 2015 SN Refsdal: The First Predicted Supernova Image See it as a poster -
Released on 21 December 2006 Portrait of a dramatic stellar crib* See it as a poster -
Released on 21 December 2022 A Wreath of Star Formation in NGC 7469 See it as a poster -
Released on 21 December 2009 Star Cluster R136 Bursts Out See it as a poster -
Released on 21 December 2023 Webb spots a second lensed supernova in a distant galaxy See it as a poster
In tropical astrology, 21 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 21 DEC 1997.
Questions about December 21, 1997
What space photo was released on December 21, 1997?
NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for December 21, 1997 was "A Winter Solstice". It's the card at the top of this page.
What was the Moon's phase on December 21, 1997?
A last quarter moon, about 56% lit.
What day of the week was December 21, 1997?
December 21, 1997 was a Sunday, day 355 of the 365 days in 1997.
Was there a meteor shower on December 21, 1997?
Yes: the Ursid shower, peaks tomorrow.
Is it free?
Yes. Seeing, sharing and downloading the card is free, and there's no account to make.