Reach for the stars.

People have been reaching for the stars for as long as anyone can remember. Here are the events in chronological order.

1. The first observatory. Take your pick: Karanhunj, Armenia, Stonehenge, or maybe Chanikillo, Peru. They're all prehistoric, meaning 'who knows?'
2. Naming of constellation Orion. 12th Century BCE. Babylonian Star Catalogues.
3. The first telescope. 1608, Hans Lippershey.
4. First view of Moon's craters. 30 November 1609. Galileo.
5. First crash landing on an extraterrestrial body. 14 September 1959, Luna 2, USSR.
6. First orbit of Earth. 12 April 1961, Yuri Gagarin.
7. First song sung in space. 16 December 1965. It was 'Jingle Bells'.
8. First object brought back from another world. July 1969. Apollo 11.
9. First manned orbital station. 19 April 1971 (launched). Salyut 1, USSR.
10. First mission to leave the solar system. Voyager 1, on 25 August 2012. In other words, Chuck Berry is on his way to a new audience.

How well did you do? Did this list inspire you to wonder anew about space? Maybe you got an idea or two for another Guide Entry.

Dmitri Gheorgheni

09.12.13 Front Page

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