2000 – SOHO counts it’s 200th sungrazing comet. The 200th comet was actually discovered in a search of archival data by Michael Oates of England. [25 March 2024 the comet count was 5,000!]
1997 – Agila 2 launched from the Xichang facility in the Peoples Republic of China. It was the Philippine’s first satellite and put into orbit for the
Mabuhay Communications Corporation of Manila
1997 – STS- 85 Returns to Earth at 11:08 GMT after travelling 4.7 million miles on a Mission to Planet Earth.
1960 – Launched Korabl -Sputnik-2 (Spaceship Satellite-2), also known as Sputnik 5. On board were the dogs Belka (Squirrel) and Strelka (Little Arrow). Also on board were 40 mice, 2 rats and a variety of plants. After a day in orbit, the spacecraft’s retrorocket was fired, the capsule landed, and the dogs were safely recovered.
Birthdays
1871 – Orville Wright was born in Dayton Ohio.
1646 –
John Flamsteed‘s birthday. In 1675 King Charles II appointed Flamsteed his astronomical observer by Royal Warrant. This meant he was the first Astronomer Royal. From his salary of 100 he had to pay 10 taxes and also provide all his own instruments. The Royal Observatory at Greenwich was built and equipped for his observations and he began observing there in 1676. Flamsteed was known for his lunar and star observations. Newton used his data to complete his theories on gravity.