2012 – The European Space Agency (ESA) conducted the first launch of the European Vega rocket from Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
2004 – The Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics announces the discovery of the universe’s largest known diamond, white dwarf star BPM 37093. Astronomers named this star “Lucy” after The Beatles’ song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”.
Birthdays
1964 – Stephen Bowen, American engineer, captain, and astronaut who flew on STS-126, STS-132, STS-133, SpaceX Crew-6 (Expedition 68/69)
1942 – Donald E. Williams, American captain, pilot, and astronaut who flew STS-51-D and STS-34 (d. 23 February 2016)
1852 – J.L.E. Dreyer’s birthday, Danish-born Irish astronomer who
compiled the New General Catalogue (NGC) published in 1878.
1523 – Valentin Naboth, German astronomer and mathematician In his book Naboth introduced the expression world system (systema mundi, mundanum systema, systema universitatis, and also systema coeleste, systema caelorum and systema aethereum),[17] a concept that was later adopted by Tycho, Kepler, and by Galilei as well