The sky on
your birthday.
The Mysterious Rings of Supernova 1987A
What causes the odd rings in supernova 1987A? In 1987, the brightest supernova in recent history occurred in the Large Magellanic Cloud. At the center of the picture is an object central to the remains of the violent stellar explosion. When the Hubble Space Telescope observed the remnant in 1994, the existence of these curious rings was confirmed. Their origin remains a mystery, with speculation including beamed jets from the explosion.
We cannot put this date's photograph on paper at poster size. We can print the nearest public archive plate to your date instead.
See print sizesPrinted, shipped and sold by Zazzle
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.
-
The Earth on your day The Earth on 31 March 2002 · Colorado Plateau See it as a poster -
Released on 31 March 2010 Around the star-formation region Gum 19 (RCW 34) See it as a poster -
Released on 31 March 2025 A galaxy that gives great feedback See it as a poster -
Released on 31 March 2021 M87's Central Black Hole in Polarized Light See it as a poster -
Released on 31 March 2016 The galactic centre See it as a poster -
Released on 31 March 2005 Hubble spies cosmic dust bunnies See it as a poster
In tropical astrology, 31 MAR 2002 falls under Aries (♈). The sign's window runs from 03-21 through 04-19. Aries is the constellation traditionally tied to spring's arrival in the northern hemisphere. The Sun was crossing this region of the sky on 31 MAR 2002.
Questions about March 31, 2002
What space photo was released on March 31, 2002?
NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for March 31, 2002 was "The Mysterious Rings of Supernova 1987A". It's the card at the top of this page.
What was the Moon's phase on March 31, 2002?
A waning gibbous moon, about 92% lit.
What day of the week was March 31, 2002?
March 31, 2002 was a Sunday, day 90 of the 365 days in 2002.
What did the Sun and the Earth look like on March 31, 2002?
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.