The sky on
your birthday.
A Laser Strike at the Galactic Center
Astronomers at the Very Large Telescope in Chile use powerful lasers to create artificial stars in the upper atmosphere. By constantly imaging these laser-excited atoms, they can measure atmospheric blurring in real time. This information is then fed back to the telescope's adaptive optics system. This process helps to correct for distortions and produce clearer astronomical images.
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 August 2009 · Sahara, Algeria See it as a poster -
Released on 16 August 2015 M1: The Crab Nebula from Hubble See it as a poster -
Released on 16 August 2020 NGC 6814: Grand Design Spiral Galaxy from Hubble See it as a poster -
Released on 16 August 2010 A snowstorm of distant galaxies See it as a poster -
Released on 16 August 2021 In the Heart of the Furnace See it as a poster -
Released on 16 August 2003 Thackeray's Globules See it as a poster
In tropical astrology, 16 AUG 2009 falls under Leo (♌). The sign's window runs from 07-23 through 08-22. Leo is anchored by Regulus, the heart of the Lion, twenty-four parsecs from Earth. The Sun was crossing this region of the sky on 16 AUG 2009.
Questions about August 16, 2009
What space photo was released on August 16, 2009?
NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for August 16, 2009 was "A Laser Strike at the Galactic Center". It's the card at the top of this page.
What was the Moon's phase on August 16, 2009?
A waning crescent moon, about 20% lit.
What day of the week was August 16, 2009?
August 16, 2009 was a Sunday, day 228 of the 365 days in 2009.
Was there a meteor shower on August 16, 2009?
Yes: the Perseid shower, peaked 3 days ago.
What did the Sun and the Earth look like on August 16, 2009?
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.