The sky on
your birthday.
The Magnetic Fields of Spiral Galaxy M77
The HAWC+ instrument on NASA's SOFIA observatory observed spiral galaxy M77 to map its magnetic fields. By detecting polarized infrared light from dust grains, HAWC+ showed that magnetic fields trace the galaxy's spiral arms. This suggests that magnetism plays a role in how spiral galaxies form and evolve.
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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 16 December 2019 See it as a poster -
The Earth on your day The Earth on 16 December 2019 · Madagascar See it as a poster -
Released on 16 December 2024 Seeing eye to eye See it as a poster -
Released on 16 December 2004 A new view of the Helix Nebula See it as a poster -
Released on 16 December 2009 The star GJ1214 See it as a poster -
Released on 16 December 2008 NGC 2264 and the Christmas Tree cluster* See it as a poster -
Released on 16 December 2004 Helix Nebula: HST/CTIO Image See it as a poster
In tropical astrology, 16 DEC 2019 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 16 DEC 2019.
Questions about December 16, 2019
What space photo was released on December 16, 2019?
NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for December 16, 2019 was "The Magnetic Fields of Spiral Galaxy M77". It's the card at the top of this page.
What was the Moon's phase on December 16, 2019?
A waning gibbous moon, about 79% lit.
What day of the week was December 16, 2019?
December 16, 2019 was a Monday, day 350 of the 365 days in 2019.
Was there a meteor shower on December 16, 2019?
Yes: the Geminid shower, peaked 2 days ago.
What did the Sun and the Earth look like on December 16, 2019?
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.