Daily Extra :
Astronomy & Space Word of The Day
facula: A circular to subcircular region which is brighter than the surrounding area.
Who Was Born Today?:
1587: Johannes Fabricius, Denmark, astronomer, discovered sunspots
1942: Vyacheslav Dmitriyevich Zudov, U.S.S.R., cosmonaut, Soyuz 23
1942: Stephen Hawking, English physicist, Black Holes and Baby Universes
1942: Vyacheslav Dmitriyevich Zudov, U.S.S.R., cosmonaut, Soyuz 23
1942: Stephen Hawking, English physicist, Black Holes and Baby Universes
Who Died Today?:
1642: Galileo Galilei, Italian physicist/astronomer, age 77
1952: Antonia Maury, discoverer (supergiant, giant and dwarf stars)
1952: Antonia Maury, discoverer (supergiant, giant and dwarf stars)
Today in History:
1610: Galileo Galilei points his newly developed telescope at the sky and observes craters and mountains on the Moon, moving spots on the Sun, four moons revolving around Jupiter, the phases of Venus, and the almost innumerable stars of the Milky Way. Jan 4 thru 15, 1601 are called by some the most important days in the history of astronomy.
1760: Comet C/1760 A1 (Great comet) approaches within 0.0682 AUs of Earth
1973: Launch of Luna 21 carrying the Lunokhod 2 rover, the second robotic lunar rover. Made lunar landing with an automated Lunokhod 2 rover.
1985: Launch of Sakigake mission to Comet Halley.
1994: Russian manned space craft TM-18, launches into orbit.