The sky on
your birthday.
The Einstein Cross Gravitational Lens
The Einstein Cross is a quasar whose light is split into four images by the gravity of a foreground galaxy. This galaxy acts as a lens, bending the quasar's light around it. The quasar itself is behind the visible galaxy, which is not seen in the image.
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 2026 See it as a poster -
The Earth on your day The Earth on 4 January 2026 · Eye of the Sahara, Mauritania 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 2026 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 2026.
Questions about January 4, 2026
What space photo was released on January 4, 2026?
NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for January 4, 2026 was "The Einstein Cross Gravitational Lens". It's the card at the top of this page.
What was the Moon's phase on January 4, 2026?
A full moon, about 100% lit.
What day of the week was January 4, 2026?
January 4, 2026 was a Sunday, day 4 of the 365 days in 2026.
Was there a meteor shower on January 4, 2026?
Yes: the Quadrantid shower, peak tonight.
What did the Sun and the Earth look like on January 4, 2026?
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.