The sky on
your birthday.
A Laser Strike at the Galactic Center
Astronomers at the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile use a powerful laser to create an artificial star in the upper atmosphere. This laser strike allows them to measure distortions caused by Earth's atmosphere. By constantly imaging this artificial star, they can instantly adjust the VLT's mirrors to compensate for atmospheric blurring and achieve clearer views of the Galactic Center.
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 December 2013 See it as a poster -
The Earth on your day The Earth on 1 December 2013 · Madagascar See it as a poster -
Released on 1 December 2005 Most detailed image of the Crab Nebula See it as a poster -
Released on 1 December 2005 Digitized Sky Survey 2 image of the Crab Nebula (ground-based image) See it as a poster -
Released on 1 December 2025 A storm of new stars See it as a poster -
Released on 1 December 2009 Blushing dusty nebula See it as a poster -
Released on 1 December 2009 A wide-field view of the region around NGC 7023 (ground-based image) See it as a poster
In tropical astrology, 1 DEC 2013 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 1 DEC 2013.
Questions about December 1, 2013
What space photo was released on December 1, 2013?
NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for December 1, 2013 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 December 1, 2013?
A new moon, about 3% lit.
What day of the week was December 1, 2013?
December 1, 2013 was a Sunday, day 335 of the 365 days in 2013.
What did the Sun and the Earth look like on December 1, 2013?
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.