On This Date in History - April 5

Daily Extra :

Astronomy & Space Word of The Day

coma: A spherical cloud of material surrounding the head of a comet. This material is mostly gas that the Sun has caused to boil off the comet's icy nucleus. This gas is illuminated both by reflected sunlight and light emitted by excited molecules. A cometary coma can extend up to a million miles from the nucleus.

Who Was Born Today?:

1926: Milton O. Thompson, astronaut, Dynasoar, X-15
1935: Donald Lynden-Bell, British astronomer
1950: Franklin R. Chang-Diaz, born in Costa Rica, astronaut, STS-61C, 34,46,60,75, sk:91
1955: Renate Bruemmer, astronaut and cosmonaut

Who Died Today?:

1991: Manley Lanier "Sonny" Carter, Jr., USN/astronaut (STS-33), age 43

Today in History:

1958: USAF Atlas ICBM was successfully flown from Cape Canaveral, FL, to the impact area some 600 miles away.

Featured Astronomy Image of the Week

Check out the former Astronomy Picture of the Day. See what surprises await you this week.