The sky on
your birthday.
NGC 5307: A Symmetric Planetary Nebula
NGC 5307, a planetary nebula, exhibits a striking symmetry. Every major gas blob on the upper left appears to have a counterpart on the lower right. This Hubble Space Telescope image, released in 1997, shows its spiral shape. Astronomers believe spiral planetary nebulae are caused by a central white dwarf star expelling a wobbling jet of gas.
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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 31 December 2003 The cluster RDCS1252.9-2927 (overview) See it as a poster -
Released on 31 December 2018 The smoking gun of a newborn star See it as a poster -
Released on 31 December 2012 Don’t trust your eyes See it as a poster -
Released on 31 December 2017 To Fly Free in Space See it as a poster -
Released on 31 December 2024 The Twisted Disk of NGC 4753 See it as a poster
In tropical astrology, 31 DEC 1997 falls under Capricorn (♑). The sign's window runs from 12-22 through 01-19. Capricorn is the dimmest zodiac constellation, but rich in deep-sky objects south of the celestial equator. The Sun was crossing this region of the sky on 31 DEC 1997.
Questions about December 31, 1997
What space photo was released on December 31, 1997?
NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for December 31, 1997 was "NGC 5307: A Symmetric Planetary Nebula". It's the card at the top of this page.
What was the Moon's phase on December 31, 1997?
A waxing crescent moon, about 4% lit.
What day of the week was December 31, 1997?
December 31, 1997 was a Wednesday, day 365 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.