Astronomy Day was originated in 1973 by Doug Berger, the President of the Astronomical Association of Northern California, with the goal of providing a means of interaction between the general public and various astronomy enthusiasts, groups, and professionals. His intention was to set up various telescopes in busy urban locations, allowing passersby to enjoy views of the heavens. 40 years later, the event has significantly expanded, sponsored by a number of organizations associated with astronomy.
Check out some more information about Astronomy Day here: http://www.astroleague.org/files/astroday/FactSheet-2010.pdf
Today is also Auctioneers Day, Husband Appreciation Day, and Record Store Day!
Here are some interesting things that happened on this day in history:
- Jews were expelled from Orange Burgandy by Philibert of Luxembourg in 1505
- Pontiac was murdered at the site of present-day St Louis, Missouri in 1769
- 246 were killed during a hailstorm in Moradabad, India in 1888
- Quebec Premier Maurice Duplessis, known as "le Chef" in recognition of his strong leadership, was born in Trois-Rivières, Quebec in 1890
- Writer Elizabeth Goudie, whose autobiography, Woman of Labrador, made her internationally known, was born in Mud Lake, Labrador in 1902
- Wayson Choy, author of Paper Shadows, a memoir about his childhood, was born in Vancouver in 1939
- Mackenzie King and F.D. Roosevelt signed the Hyde Park Declaration in 1941, uniting the economies of Canada and the United States for war: http://wartimecanada.ca/document/world-war-ii/economy-and-trade/hyde-park-declaration-statement-william-lyon-mackenzie-king
- Toller Cranston, a creative and controversial figure
skater and artist, was born in Hamilton, Ontario in 1949
- Also in 1949, the CBC Opera Company's performance of Mozart's Don
Giovanni aired for the first time on CBC Radio
- Wilfred O'Neill was killed by a bomb blast at a Montréal
army recruiting centre in 1963. The bomb was the work of the terrorist group Front de
libération du Québec (FLQ).
- Pierre Trudeau was sworn in as Canada's 15th prime
minister in 1968
- The telecommunications satellite Anik A-2 was launched
from Cape Canaveral in 1973. With its launch, Canada became the first country in
the world to employ satellites for domestic communications.
- German terrorist group Red Army Faction announced their dissolution after 28 years in 1998
- Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold killed 13 people and injured 24 others before committing suicide at Columbine High School in Jefferson County, Colorado in 1999
- Danica Patrick won the Indy Japan 300 in 2008, becoming the first female driver in history to win an Indy car race.
- Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion killed 11 and caused a rig to sink, initiating a massive oil discharge in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010
Stay tuned for our next, "On This Day in History"!
No comments:
Post a Comment