The sky on
your birthday.
Phobos: Doomed Moon of Mars
Phobos is one of Mars's two tiny moons, named after the Greek word for Fear. It is a heavily cratered, asteroid-like object, about 17 miles across. This 1977 image from the Viking orbiter shows its irregular shape. Phobos orbits Mars closely and is slowly spiraling inward, destined to eventually break apart or crash into the planet.
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 31 May 2010 The massive compact star cluster in NGC 3603 and its surroundings See it as a poster -
Released on 31 May 2018 Peculiar galaxy NGC 3256 See it as a poster -
Released on 31 May 2018 Wide-field image of NGC 3256 (ground-based image) See it as a poster -
Released on 31 May 2021 The Eponymous NGC 691 See it as a poster -
Released on 31 May 2026 Eagle Nebula Pillars in Infrared from Hubble See it as a poster
In tropical astrology, 31 MAY 1998 falls under Gemini (♊). The sign's window runs from 05-21 through 06-20. Gemini is named for the twin stars Castor and Pollux, both bright enough to spot without a telescope. The Sun was crossing this region of the sky on 31 MAY 1998.
Questions about May 31, 1998
What space photo was released on May 31, 1998?
NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for May 31, 1998 was "Phobos: Doomed Moon of Mars". It's the card at the top of this page.
What was the Moon's phase on May 31, 1998?
A waxing crescent moon, about 29% lit.
What day of the week was May 31, 1998?
May 31, 1998 was a Sunday, day 151 of the 365 days in 1998.
Is it free?
Yes. Seeing, sharing and downloading the card is free, and there's no account to make.