The sky on
your birthday.
Announcing Comet Machholz
Comet C/2004 Q2 Machholz was discovered this past summer and is brightening quickly. It's already visible to the unaided eye, especially in the Southern Hemisphere. The comet is moving rapidly towards northern skies and should continue to brighten until early January. It will be easy to view, as it will be nearly opposite the Sun when brightest.
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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The Earth on your day The Earth on 13 December 2004 · Colorado Plateau See it as a poster -
Released on 13 December 2005 Sirius (ground-based image) See it as a poster -
Released on 13 December 2021 Hubble Gazes Sidelong at NGC 3568 See it as a poster -
Released on 13 December 2017 Stellar Nursery Blooms into View See it as a poster -
Released on 13 December 2006 Looking East to Tyrone See it as a poster -
Released on 13 December 2023 Star Cluster IC 348 (NIRCam image) See it as a poster
In tropical astrology, 13 DEC 2004 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 13 DEC 2004.
Questions about December 13, 2004
What space photo was released on December 13, 2004?
NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for December 13, 2004 was "Announcing Comet Machholz". It's the card at the top of this page.
What was the Moon's phase on December 13, 2004?
A new moon, about 2% lit.
What day of the week was December 13, 2004?
December 13, 2004 was a Monday, day 348 of the 366 days in 2004.
Was there a meteor shower on December 13, 2004?
Yes: the Geminid shower, peaks tomorrow.
What did the Sun and the Earth look like on December 13, 2004?
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.