The sky on
your birthday.
A Horseshoe Einstein Ring from Hubble
A gravitational lens has bent the light from a distant blue galaxy into a horseshoe shape. The light has traveled around a massive red galaxy, which acts like a cosmic magnifying glass. This image from the Hubble Space Telescope shows a precise alignment, creating a nearly complete ring.
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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 Sun on your day The Sun on 21 December 2011 See it as a poster -
The Earth on your day The Earth on 21 December 2011 · Empty Quarter, Arabia See it as a poster -
Released on 21 December 2015 SN Refsdal: The First Predicted Supernova Image See it as a poster -
Released on 21 December 2006 Portrait of a dramatic stellar crib* See it as a poster -
Released on 21 December 2022 A Wreath of Star Formation in NGC 7469 See it as a poster -
Released on 21 December 2009 Star Cluster R136 Bursts Out See it as a poster -
Released on 21 December 2023 Webb spots a second lensed supernova in a distant galaxy See it as a poster
In tropical astrology, 21 DEC 2011 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 21 DEC 2011.
Questions about December 21, 2011
What space photo was released on December 21, 2011?
NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for December 21, 2011 was "A Horseshoe Einstein Ring from Hubble". It's the card at the top of this page.
What was the Moon's phase on December 21, 2011?
A waning crescent moon, about 15% lit.
What day of the week was December 21, 2011?
December 21, 2011 was a Wednesday, day 355 of the 365 days in 2011.
Was there a meteor shower on December 21, 2011?
Yes: the Ursid shower, peaks tomorrow.
What did the Sun and the Earth look like on December 21, 2011?
NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory photographed the Sun that day, and NASA's Terra satellite photographed the whole Earth. Both are 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.