June 21, 1997
Light takes eight minutes to travel from the Sun to the Earth. It took the universe 13.8 billion years to make you.
The Pipe Dark Nebula
Birthday · June 21, 1997
A little universe, just for you
Your date.
Ready to give.
Free PNG · 1080 × 1350 · No account needed
Image rights and credit requirements apply when sharing or reusing imagery.
Date & occasion only
Change the year
APOD published June 21, 1997. Credit: Jerry Lodriguss. A publication-date match, not a photo taken on your date. Independent of NASA.
The dark nebula predominant at the lower left of the above photograph is known as the Pipe Nebula. The dark clouds, suggestively shaped like smoke rising from a pipe, are caused by absorption of background starlight by dust. These dust clouds can be traced all the way to the Rho Ophiuchi nebular clouds on the right. The brightest star in the field is Antares. Many types of nebula are highlighted here: the red are emission nebula, the blue are reflection nebula, and the dark are absorption nebula. This picture has been digitally enhanced.
Image credit: Jerry Lodriguss