The sky on
your birthday.
The Red Rectangle Nebula from Hubble
The Hubble Space Telescope captured the Red Rectangle Nebula, a binary star system surrounded by an unusual X-shaped cloud. This shape is likely due to a thick dust torus that pinches the star's outflow into two cones. We see the torus edge-on, making the cone boundaries appear as an X, with distinct rungs suggesting intermittent outflows.
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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 5 January 2026 See it as a poster -
The Earth on your day The Earth on 5 January 2026 · Nile Delta and Sinai See it as a poster -
Released on 5 January 2015 New view of the Pillars of Creation: visible See it as a poster -
Released on 5 January 2015 Digitized Sky Survey Image of the Eagle Nebula See it as a poster -
Released on 5 January 2015 New view of the Pillars of Creation: infrared See it as a poster -
Released on 5 January 2015 The area around the Andromeda Galaxy (ground-based image) See it as a poster -
Released on 5 January 2016 Andromeda in High-Energy X-rays See it as a poster
In tropical astrology, 5 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 5 JAN 2026.
Questions about January 5, 2026
What space photo was released on January 5, 2026?
NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for January 5, 2026 was "The Red Rectangle Nebula from Hubble". It's the card at the top of this page.
What was the Moon's phase on January 5, 2026?
A full moon, about 97% lit.
What day of the week was January 5, 2026?
January 5, 2026 was a Monday, day 5 of the 365 days in 2026.
Was there a meteor shower on January 5, 2026?
Yes: the Quadrantid shower, peaked yesterday.
What did the Sun and the Earth look like on January 5, 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.