Astronomy Picture of the Day · January 1, 1996

Shuttle Engine Blast

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for January 1, 1996 is “Shuttle Engine Blast,” an image. It is credited to Credit: NASA, STS-51 Crew. The original explanation runs about 117 words.

From the explanation

“The Space Shuttle Discovery ‘s orbital maneuvering system (OMS) engine firing produced this dramatic flare as it cruised “upside down” in low Earth orbit. Discovery was named for a ship commanded by Captain James Cook RN , the 18th Century English astronomer and navigator.”

— APOD editors, January 1, 1996

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date: January 1, 1996
Type: Image
Credit: Credit: NASA, STS-51 Crew
Copyright: No copyright notice on the entry. Check the credited institution’s own usage rules before reusing it.
Explanation length: About 117 words

All of January 1996 → · 1996 by month → · Full archive since 1995 →

On this day: January 1 in other years

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Source

Astronomy Picture of the Day, January 1, 1996 — science.nasa.gov/image-article/apod-1996-january-01-shuttle-engine-blast

Copy taken Oct 28, 2026, 2:39 AM EDT. The image and explanation belong to their creators. OpenOrbit is not affiliated with or endorsed by NASA.