The sky on
your birthday.
NGC 2440: Cocoon of a New White Dwarf
NGC 2440 is a planetary nebula, a cocoon of gas cast off by a dying star. It contains one of the hottest known white dwarf stars, visible as a bright orange dot near the center. Our Sun will eventually become a white dwarf, shedding its outer layers to form a similar nebula.
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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 24 December 2023 See it as a poster -
The Earth on your day The Earth on 24 December 2023 · Pilbara, Western Australia See it as a poster -
Released on 24 December 2018 Globular Cluster NGC 1466 See it as a poster -
Released on 24 December 2025 The sun’s glint beams off the Atlantic Ocean See it as a poster -
Released on 24 December 2012 A wanderer dancing the dance of stars and space See it as a poster -
Released on 24 December 2008 Earthrise See it as a poster -
Released on 24 December 2005 Earthrise See it as a poster
In tropical astrology, 24 DEC 2023 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 24 DEC 2023.
Questions about December 24, 2023
What space photo was released on December 24, 2023?
NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for December 24, 2023 was "NGC 2440: Cocoon of a New White Dwarf". It's the card at the top of this page.
What was the Moon's phase on December 24, 2023?
A waxing gibbous moon, about 90% lit.
What day of the week was December 24, 2023?
December 24, 2023 was a Sunday, day 358 of the 365 days in 2023.
Was there a meteor shower on December 24, 2023?
Yes: the Ursid shower, peaked 2 days ago.
What did the Sun and the Earth look like on December 24, 2023?
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.