The sky on
your birthday.
To Fly Free in Space
Astronaut Bruce McCandless II floats free, about 100 meters from the Space Shuttle Challenger's cargo bay. He was farther out than anyone had been before, guided by a Manned Maneuvering Unit. This untethered spacewalk was a first, during Space Shuttle mission 41-B in 1984. The MMU works by shooting jets of nitrogen, allowing astronauts to maneuver independently in space.
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 Sun on your day The Sun on 1 January 2012 See it as a poster -
The Earth on your day The Earth on 1 January 2012 · Nile Delta and Sinai See it as a poster -
Released on 1 January 2024 NGC 1232: A Grand Design Spiral Galaxy See it as a poster -
Released on 1 January 2018 Ribbons and pearls See it as a poster -
Released on 1 January 2020 Betelgeuse Imagined See it as a poster -
Released on 1 January 2002 Cygnus X-1 (ground-based image) See it as a poster -
Released on 1 January 2018 Lasers and supermassive black holes See it as a poster
In tropical astrology, 1 JAN 2012 falls under Capricorn (♑). The sign's window runs from 12-22 through 01-19. Capricorn is the dimmest zodiac constellation, but rich in deep-sky objects south of the celestial equator. The Sun was crossing this region of the sky on 1 JAN 2012.
Questions about January 1, 2012
What space photo was released on January 1, 2012?
NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for January 1, 2012 was "To Fly Free in Space". It's the card at the top of this page.
What was the Moon's phase on January 1, 2012?
A first quarter moon, about 48% lit.
What day of the week was January 1, 2012?
January 1, 2012 was a Sunday, day 1 of the 366 days in 2012.
What did the Sun and the Earth look like on January 1, 2012?
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.