The sky on
your birthday.
The Horsehead Nebula
The Horsehead Nebula, also known as Barnard 33, is a familiar shape carved from a dark molecular cloud in Orion. This image shows the nebula's distinct silhouette against a background of glowing hydrogen gas, ionized by the nearby star Sigma Orionis. The dark shape is caused by thick dust, which also casts a shadow from the lower part of the horse's neck. Its unusual form was first discovered on a photographic plate in the late 1800s.
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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The Earth on your day The Earth on 16 December 2001 · Empty Quarter, Arabia See it 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 2001 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 2001.
Questions about December 16, 2001
What space photo was released on December 16, 2001?
NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for December 16, 2001 was "The Horsehead Nebula". It's the card at the top of this page.
What was the Moon's phase on December 16, 2001?
A new moon, about 1% lit.
What day of the week was December 16, 2001?
December 16, 2001 was a Sunday, day 350 of the 365 days in 2001.
Was there a meteor shower on December 16, 2001?
Yes: the Geminid shower, peaked 2 days ago.
What did the Sun and the Earth look like on December 16, 2001?
NASA's Terra satellite photographed the whole Earth that day. It's on this page, next to the card.
Is it free?
Yes. Seeing, sharing and downloading the card is free, and there's no account to make.