The sky on
your birthday.
“Orion over El Castillo” is copyrighted by Stéphane Guisard. NASA has permission to show it and we don't, so it isn't on this card.
See it on NASA's siteOrion rises over El Castillo, the central pyramid at Chichén Itzá, a major Mayan site. This image celebrates the December solstice, a day that did not mark the end of the world. The pyramid, also known as the Temple of Kukulkan, stands 30 meters tall.
The Sun on 21 December 2012
NASA SDO took this picture on 21 December 2012, the day itself, not a release date.
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 Sun on your day The Sun on 21 December 2012 See it as a poster -
The Earth on your day The Earth on 21 December 2012 · Sahara, Algeria 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 2012 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 2012.
Questions about December 21, 2012
What space photo was released on December 21, 2012?
NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for December 21, 2012 was "Orion over El Castillo". It's a photographer's copyrighted image, so we link to it on NASA's site and show the Sun or the Earth that day instead.
What was the Moon's phase on December 21, 2012?
A first quarter moon, about 55% lit.
What day of the week was December 21, 2012?
December 21, 2012 was a Friday, day 356 of the 366 days in 2012.
Was there a meteor shower on December 21, 2012?
Yes: the Ursid shower, peaks tomorrow.
What did the Sun and the Earth look like on December 21, 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.