The sky on
your birthday.
“Welcome to Perihelion” is copyrighted by Barden Ridge Observatory. NASA has permission to show it and we don't, so it isn't on this card.
See it on NASA's siteEarth's orbit around the Sun is an ellipse, not a perfect circle. Today, January 4, is perihelion, the point where our planet is closest to the Sun. At this time, Earth is about 147 million kilometers from the Sun. This H-alpha image of the Sun was taken just hours after perihelion.
The Sun on 4 January 2025
NASA SDO took this picture on 4 January 2025, 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 4 January 2025 See it as a poster -
The Earth on your day The Earth on 4 January 2025 · Sahara, Algeria See it as a poster -
Released on 4 January 2024 Zeta Oph: Runaway Star See it as a poster -
Released on 4 January 2016 Earthset from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter See it as a poster -
Released on 4 January 2025 A red and green aurora shimmers brightly above Ontario, Canada See it as a poster -
Released on 4 January 2025 A red and green aurora borealis above Canada's Gulf of St. Lawrence See it as a poster -
Released on 4 January 2025 An aurora shimmers and dances above the city lights of Canada See it as a poster
In tropical astrology, 4 JAN 2025 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 4 JAN 2025.
Questions about January 4, 2025
What space photo was released on January 4, 2025?
NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for January 4, 2025 was "Welcome to Perihelion". 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 January 4, 2025?
A waxing crescent moon, about 24% lit.
What day of the week was January 4, 2025?
January 4, 2025 was a Saturday, day 4 of the 365 days in 2025.
Was there a meteor shower on January 4, 2025?
Yes: the Quadrantid shower, peak tonight.
What did the Sun and the Earth look like on January 4, 2025?
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.