2015 Event A rare "blood moon" is visible tonight: the moon is in full moon phase and at its closest distance to Earth for the year, giving it a large 'supermoon' appearance; the concurrent lunar eclipse gives the large orb a red coloration 2015 Event Scientists announce discovery of a planet in the Kepler-452 solar system that closely resembles Earth in size and orbit; the planet, Kepler 452-b, has a diameter 60% larger than Earth's but an orbit that is 385 days, close to Earth's 365 days 2015 Event Pope Francis issues an encyclical, 'Laudato Si' (Praise Be), urging action to protect Earth from pollution and climate change; the document was issued with the intention of influencing the U.N. Climate Summit later this year 2015 Event Commercial space company SpaceX successfully launches its Falcon 9 rocket, which has released the Dragon cargo ship into orbit to the International Space Station; the rocket returned to Earth after releasing the Dragon but had a rough landing 2014 Event Astronauts at the International Space Station have created a specialized wrench in their 3D printer using a custom-designed blueprint emailed to the station from engineers on Earth; previously, objects have been printed from pre-loaded design files 2014 Event NASA successfully tests its unmanned Orion spaceship for potential human flight over 3,500 miles from Earth; several years and more tests will be needed before the vessel is ready for human travel, potentially paving the way for manned trips to Mars 2014 Event The International Space Station announces that it has successfully installed and operated a 3D printer; the printer will be used to reduce costs by manufacturing parts at the station rather than transporting them from Earth 2014 Event NASA outsources its role in space travel by awarding a $4.2 billion contract to Boeing and a $2.6 billion contract to Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) to shuttle astronauts between Earth and the International Space Station 2014 Event Solar storms will reach Earth today and tomorrow, possibly disrupting electric grids and increasing radiation exposure to airline travelers 2014 Event A water-embedded rock layer is found deep inside the earth; the layer stores three times the water found in all the earth's oceans, suggesting that oceans developed through seepage of this water and not from striking comets as previously believed 2014 Event German design company Art+Com sues Google, claiming the Internet company infringed on its patented spatial mapping technology by incorporating its features into Google Earth; Art+Com offered to sell the patent to Google in 2006 but wasn't satisfied with Google's offer 2014 Event Scientists from Australian National University observe the oldest star in the universe for the first time. The star, located 6,000 light years from Earth, serves as a fingerprint of the first stars in the universe; it is believed to be 13.7 billion years old 2013 Event One of the rarest mammals on earth, the saola, an Asian unicorn is released by WWF; the photo was taken by a camera trap in a forest in central Vietnam in September 2013, last seen 15 years ago 2013 Event NASA discovers Asteroid 2013 TV135, which has a 1 in 63,000 chance of colliding with the earth in 2032 2013 Event Astronaut Scott Carpenter, the second American to orbit the earth on Mercury 7, dies of complications from a stroke at the age of 88 2013 Event The Shenzhou 10 spacecraft returns to Earth after China's crew complete's its 15-day mission, completing the country's fifth manned spaceflight 2013 Event The 1998 QE2, an asteroid measuring nearly 1.7 miles across, and its moon, pass within 3.6 million miles of the earth 2013 Event Kepler-62e and Kepler-62f, two planets resembling planet Earth are discovered revolving around the star Kepler-62 in the habitable zone, an area around the stars whose atmospheric pressure can suport liquid water at the surface 2013 Event A near-Earth asteroid, 2012 DA14, comes within 17,200 miles of the Earth's surface, a record-close approach for an object estimated at 50 meters, or 160 ft in in diameter 2013 Event Calcium deposits found on Mars by NASA's Curiosity rover; the deposits are similar to deposits formed on Earth when water circulates in cracks and rock fractures 2013 Event A near-earth asteroid, called 99942 Apophis, passes close to Earth; astronomers in Europe estimate 99942 Apophis is larger than previously thought 2013 Event The Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics estimates at least 17 billion planets exist that are comparable to the size of the Earth and the Milky Way 2012 Event An asteroid named 4179 Toutatis, over 3 miles wide, passes within 4.3 million miles, or 18 lunar distances from Earth 2012 Event Expedition 33 ends and Expedition 34 begins as astronauts Yuri Malenchenko, Sunita Williams, and Akihiko Hoshide return to Earth with spacecraft Soyuz TMA-05M 2012 Event Scientists discover the closest known rogue planet to Earth, known as CFBDSIR 2149-0403, the planet is about 100+ light years away 2012 Event After a classified 469-day orbital mission, the U.S. air force's robotic Boeing X-37-B spaceplane returns to Earth 2012 Event The moon forms a super moon as it gets the closest to the earth for the year 2012 Event The largest solar flare in five years, occurring March 6, 2012, nears the Earth, threatening to disrupt airline flights, GPS systems and power grids 2012 Event The failed Fobos-Grunt spacecraft is expected to re-enter the earth's atmosphere and crash into earth in the next week 2011 Event Astronomers identify a Trojan asteroid orbiting on the same path as the Earth around the Sun; it poses to danger to Earth because it sits in a gravitational 'sweet spot' 2011 Event Executing its final mission, Space Shuttle Endeavor successfully undocks from the International Space Station to return to earth 2011 Event The moon appears 30% brighter and 14% larger than at its furthest point; it reaches its closest point to Earth since 1993 2010 Event In a dispute over the use of rare earth metals, China cancels a meeting with Japan and South Korea 2010 Event Astronomers discover the new galaxy UDFy-38135539, the most distant object observed from earth 2010 Event The brightest object in the night sky next to the Moon is the planet Jupiter, as it makes its closest approach to Earth since 1963 2006 Event Stardust space mission returns dust from a comet to earth 2003 Event Space Shuttle Columbia destroyed over Texas when returning to Earth, 7 crew members are killed 2001 Event Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft becomes first vehicle to land on an asteroid (433 Eros) 1997 Event Comet Hale-Bopp Closest Approach to Earth (1.315 AU) 1997 Event Soyuz TM-24 returns to Earth (Russia) 1997 Event Comet Shoemaker-Holt 2 Closest Approach to Earth (1.9245 AU) 1997 Event Space Shuttle Atlantis Returns to Earth, Successful 1996 Event Comet C/1996 B2 (Hyakutake) approaches within 0.1018 AUs of Earth 1994 Event 5m meteor 1994 XM1 passes within 100,000 km of Earth 1994 Event Japanese space probe Sakigake passes Earth for 3rd time 1994 Event "Where On Earth Is Carmen San Diego," debuts on Fox TV 1993 Event Japanese space probe Sakigake passes Earth 1993 Event 10m meteor comes within 150,000 km of Earth (1993KA) 1992 Death Hari Rhodes, actor (Earth II, Detroit 9000), dies at 59 1991 Death Dudley McConnell, headed NASA's Earth Science Division, dies 1991 Event Compton Gamma Ray Observatory orbits Earth 1989 Event 27th space shuttle mission, STS-29 (Discovery 8), returns to Earth 1988 Event Vladimir Titov and Musa Manarov return to earth (a year) with Chretien 1988 Event Pioneer 6's closest approach to Earth since 1965 launch (1.87 M km) 1988 Event 26th Space Shuttle Mission, Discovery 7 returns to Earth after 4-days 1987 Death Alfred Bester, sci-fi author (Dark Side of Earth), dies at 73 1986 Event Halley's Comet makes closest approach to Earth this trip, 63 M km 1986 Event U.S.S.R. launches Mir space station into Earth orbit 1986 Event 24th Space Shuttle (61-C) Mission-Columbia 7-returns to Earth 1985 Event 20th Space Shuttle Mission (51-I)-Discovery 6-returns to Earth 1985 Event 18th Space Shuttle Mission (51-G)-Discovery 5 returns to Earth 1985 Event 16th Space Shuttle Mission (51-D)-Discovery 4 returns to Earth 1985 Event 15th Space Shuttle (51-C) Mission-Discovery 3 returns to Earth 1984 Event Intelsat 5 re-enters Earth's atmosphere 5 months after it failed 1984 Event Transit of Earth as seen on Mars 1984 Event 11th Space Shuttle Mission (41C)-Challenger 5-returns to Earth 1984 Event Soyuz T-11 returns to Earth 1984 Event 10th space shuttle mission (41-B)-Challenger 4-returns to Earth 1983 Event Soyuz T-9 returns to Earth, 149 days after take-off 1983 Event Comet C/1983 (Sugano-Saigusa-Fujikawa) approaches 0.0628 AUs of Earth 1983 Event Comet C/1983 H1 (IRAS-Araki-Alcock) approaches 0.0312 AUs of Earth 1983 Event Soyuz T-8 returns to Earth 1983 Event 6th Space Shuttle Mission-Challenger 1 returns to Earth 1983 Death [Dallas] Mack/McCord Reynolds, sci-fi author (Earth War), dies at 65 1982 Event Soyuz T-5 returns to Earth, 211 days after take-off 1982 Event Soyuz T-7 returns to Earth 1982 Event NASA launches Landsat 4 to thematic map the Earth 1982 Event Soyuz T-6 returns to Earth 1982 Death Larry J Blake, actor (Earth vs the Flying Saucers), dies at 68 1981 Event 2nd Space Shuttle Mission-Columbia 2-returns to Earth 1981 Event Satellites China 10 and 11 launched into Earth orbit by B-1 rocket 1981 Event Soyuz 40 returns to Earth 1981 Event 1st Space Shuttle-Columbia 1-returns to Earth 1981 Event Soyuz 39 returns to Earth 1981 Death [Adele] Marie Astaire, actress (Last Man on Earth, Millie), dies at 82 1980 Event Soyuz T-3 returns to Earth 1980 Event Crew of Soyuz 35 returns to Earth aboard Soyuz 37 1980 Event Soyuz 38 returns to Earth 1980 Event Soyuz 37 crew returns to Earth aboard Soyuz 36 1980 Event Soyuz T-2 returns to Earth 1980 Event Crew of Soyuz 36 returns to Earth aboard Soyuz 35 1980 Event Earth satellites record gamma rays from remnants of supernova N-49 1979 Event Crew of Soyuz 32 returns to Earth aboard Soyuz 34 aft 175 d flight 1979 Event Soviet Cosmonauts Vladimir Lyakov and Valery Ryumin returned to Earth aboard Soyuz 34 after a record 175 days in space 1979 Event Bhaskara 1, Indian Earth resources/meteorology satellite, launched 1979 Event Soyuz 33 returns to Earth 1978 Event Crew of Soyuz 29 returns to Earth aboard Soyuz 31 1978 Event Crew of Soyuz 31 returns to Earth aboard Soyuz 29 1978 Death Aram Katchaturian, Russian composer (The Earth), dies at 74 1978 Event Soyuz 26 returns to Earth 1978 Event Soyuz 28 returns to Earth 1978 Event International Ultraviolet Explorer placed in Earth orbit 1978 Event Soyuz 27 returns to Earth 1977 Event Panama 747SP lands after polar flight around Earth in record 54:07 1977 Event International Sun-Earth Explorers 1 and 2 launched into Earth orbit 1977 Event Soyuz 25 returns to Earth 1977 Event Soviet space station Salyut 6 launched into Earth orbit 1977 Event U.S. Voyager I takes 1st space photograph of Earth and Moon together 1977 Event High Energy Astronomy Observatory 1 launched into Earth orbit 1977 Event Soyuz 24 returns to Earth 1976 Event Soyuz 23 returns to Earth 1976 Event Soyuz 22 returns to Earth 1976 Event Soyuz 22 carries 2 cosmonauts into Earth orbit for 8 days 1976 Event Soyuz 21 returns to Earth 1976 Event U.S.S.R. launches Luna 24, last Lunar flight to date from Earth 1976 Event U.S. Viking 2 goes into Martian orbit after 11-month flight from Earth 1976 Event U.S. Viking 1 goes into Martian orbit after 10-month flight from Earth 1975 Event Soyuz 18B returns to Earth 1975 Event Apollo 18 returns to Earth 1975 Event Soyuz 19 returns to Earth 1975 Event Ethiopia nationalizes all ground/earth 1975 Event Soyuz 17 returns to Earth 1975 Event Landsat 2, an Earth Resources Technology Satellite, launched 1974 Death Tilly Losch, actress (Duel in the Sun, Good Earth), dies at 70 1974 Event Soyuz 16 returns to Earth 1974 Event Soyuz 16 launched into Earth orbit for 6 days 1974 Event Soyuz 15 returns to Earth 1974 Event Fall of earth and rocks kill 200 (Quebrada Blanca Canyon, Colombia) 1974 Event 1st extraterrestrial message sent from Earth into space 1974 Event Soyuz 14 returns to Earth 1973 Event Soyuz 13 returns to Earth 1973 Event Soyuz 13 launched into Earth orbit for 8 days 1973 Event Skylab 4 launched into Earth orbit 1973 Event Soyuz 12 returns to Earth 1973 Event Soyuz 12 carries 2 cosmonauts into Earth orbit (2 days) 1973 Death Ben van Eysselsteijn, Dutch playwright (Arid Earth), dies at 75 1972 Event Apollo 17, last of Apollo Moon landing series, returns to Earth 1972 Event "Mother Earth" closes at Belasco Theater New York City after 12 performances 1972 Event "Mother Earth" opens at Belasco Theater New York City for 12 performances 1972 Event 1st Earth Resources Technology Satellite (ERTS) is launched 1972 Event U.S.S.R. launches Prognoz 2 into earth orbit (549/200,000 km) 1972 Event Apollo 16 returns to Earth 1972 Death Georg Rendl, Austriam miner/beekeeper (Satan on Earth), dies at 68 1971 Event Apollo 15 returns to Earth 1971 Death Michael Rennie, actor (Day the Earth Stood Still), dies at 61 1971 Event Friends of Earth return 1500 non-returnable bottles to Schweppes 1971 Event Soyuz 10 returns to Earth 1971 Event Apollo 14 returns to Earth 1970 Event Soviet Luna 16 lands on earth after 1st unmanned round trip to moon 1970 Event Soyuz 9 launched into Earth orbit for 18 days 1970 Event 1st Earth Day held internationally to conserve natural resources 1970 Event Flat Earth celebrated 1970 Event Apollo 13 returns back safely to Earth 1969 Event Apollo 12 returns to Earth 1969 Event Soyuz 8 returns to Earth 1969 Event Soyuz 7 returns to Earth 1969 Event Soyuz 6 returns to Earth 1969 Event Apollo 11 returns to Earth 1969 Event Apollo 10 astronauts returned to Earth 1969 Event Apollo 9 returns to Earth 1969 Event Apollo 9 launched for 151 Earth orbits (10 days) 1969 Event Orbiting Solar Observatory 5 launched into earth orbit 1968 Event Apollo 8 returns to Earth 1968 Event Orbiting Astronomical Observatory 2 launched into Earth orbit 1968 Death Robert Ayres, actor (Battle Beneath the Earth), dies at 54 1968 Event Apollo 7 returns to Earth 1968 Event Launch of Zond 5, 1st lunar fly-around with Earth reentry 1968 Death Yuri Gagarin, 1st man to orbit Earth, and Seryogin, in plane crash at 34 1968 Event U.S.S.R. launches space probe Zond 4; fails to leave Earth orbit 1968 Event Explorer 36 (GEOS-B) launched into earth orbit (1080/1570 km) 1967 Event ATS-3 launched by U.S. to take 1st pictures of full Earth disk 1967 Death Lyle Latell, actor (Not of the Earth, Sky Dragon), dies at 63 1967 Death Paul Muni [Muni Weisenfreund] actor (Good Earth), dies at 71 1967 Death Paul Muni, actor (Good Earth), dies after lengthy illness at 71 1967 Event U.S.S.R. launches Kosmos 166 for observation of Sun from Earth orbit 1967 Event Kosmos 140 (Soyuz Test) launches into Earth orbit 1966 Event Gemini XII (Lovell/Aldrin) returns to Earth 1966 Event Gemini XI (Conrad/Gordon) returns to Earth 1966 Event Lunar Orbiter 1 takes 1st photograph of Earth from Moon 1966 Event Daylight meteor seen from Utah to Canada. Only known case of a meteor entering Earth's atmosphere and leaving it again 1966 Event Gemini X returns to Earth 1966 Event French satellite Diapason D-1A launch into Earth orbit 1965 Birthday Jessica Steen, Toronto, actress, Earth II, Homefront, Trial and Error 1965 Event Gemini 6 returns to Earth 1965 Event U.S.S.R. launches Kosmos 57 into earth orbit (Voskhod Test) 1965 Event Orbiting Solar Observatory 2 launches into Earth orbit (552/636 km) 1964 Death Morris Ankrum, actor (Kronos, Earth vs Flying Saucers), dies at 67 1964 Event Centaur 3 launch vehicle fails to make Earth orbit 1964 Event Unmanned Apollo 2 Saturn test launched into Earth orbit 1964 Event Unmanned Apollo 1 Saturn launcher test attains Earth orbit 1963 Event 2 Russian space missions return to Earth 1963 Event Valentina Tereshkova 1st woman in space returns to Earth 1963 Event Valery Bykovsky in Vostok 5 orbits earth 81 times in 5 days 1963 Event Explorer 17 attains Earth orbit (254/914 km) 1963 Event Soviet Luna (4) reaches Earth orbit but fails to reach Moon 1962 Event Wally Schirra in Sigma 7 launched into Earth orbit 1962 Event U.N. announces Earth population has hit 3 billion 1962 Event Oscar 2 (ham radio satellite) launched into Earth orbit 1962 Event M. Scott Carpenter aboard Aurora 7 launched into Earth orbit 1962 Event Scott Carpenter orbits Earth 3 times in U.S. Aurora 7 1962 Event John Glenn is 1st American to orbit Earth in Friendship 7 1961 Event Comet C/1961 T1 (Seki) approaches within 0.1019 AUs of Earth 1961 Event Unmanned Mercury-Atlas 4 launched into Earth orbit 1961 Event U.S. lunar probe Ranger 1 reaches 190 km from Earth, falls back 1961 Event Cosmonaut Gherman Titov circles Earth for a full day in Vostok 2 1961 Event Explorer (12) fails to reach Earth orbit 1961 Event Explorer (12) fails to reach Earth orbit 1961 Event NASA launches Explorer 11 into Earth orbit to study gamma rays 1961 Birthday Joan Chen, born in Shanghai, China, actress, Heaven and Earth 1961 Event Yuri Gagarin becomes 1st person to orbit Earth in Vostok 1 1961 Event Explorer 10 launched into elongated Earth orbit (177/181,000 km) 1961 Event Sputnik 10 carries a dog into Earth orbit; later recovered 1961 Event Explorer 10 fails to reach Earth orbit 1961 Event Sputnik 7 launches into Earth orbit; probable Venus probe failure 1960 Event Sputnik 4 launched into Earth orbit; later recovery failed 1960 Event 1st submerged circumnavigation of Earth completed by Triton 1960 Event Transit 1B, 1st navigational satellite, placed in Earth orbit 1960 Event Explorer (8) fails to reach Earth orbit 1960 Event Pioneer 5 launched into solar orbit between Earth and Venus 1959 Event 1st color photograph of Earth from outer space 1959 Event The 1st color photograph of Earth received from outer space 1959 Event Explorer VI reveals an intense radiation belt around Earth 1959 Event Vanguard 3 launched into Earth orbit 1959 Event Explorer 6 transmits 1st TV photo of Earth from space 1959 Event Vanguard SLV-5 launched for Earth orbit (failed) 1959 Event Luna 1, Mechta, becomes 1st craft to leave Earth's gravity 1958 Event 1st radio broadcast from space (President Eisenhower voice "To all mankind, America's wish for Peace on Earth and Good Will to Men Everywhere") 1958 Birthday Julie Brown, born in Van Nuys, California, singer, comedienne, screenwriter, appeared in 'Earth Girls are Easy', songs include, 'The Homecoming Queen's Got a Gun' 1958 Birthday Belinda Carlisle, born in Hollywood, California, GoGos lead singer, 'Heaven on Earth' 1958 Event Vanguard SLV-2 launched for Earth orbit (failed) 1958 Event Vanguard SLV-1 launched for Earth orbit (failed) 1958 Event Vanguard TV-5 launched for Earth orbit (failed) 1958 Event Navy launches Vanguard 1 into orbit (2nd U.S.), measures Earth shape 1958 Event Explorer 2 fails to reach Earth orbit 1958 Event Vanguard TV-3 back-up launches into Earth orbit; reaches 6 km 1957 Event U.S.S.R. launches Sputnik I, 1st artificial Earth satellite 1955 Birthday Fred White, rocker, Earth Wind and Fire-Shining Star, Easy Lover 1953 Birthday Larry Dunn, Dunhill, U.S. keyboardist, Earth Wind and Fire 1953 Event 25th Academy Awards - "Greatest Show on Earth," Gary Cooper and Shirley Booth win (1st time televised) 1952 Birthday Barrel Scherpenzeel, rocker, Earth and Fire 1952 Birthday Ton Scherpenzeel, Dutch rock keyboardist, Earth and Fire 1951 Birthday Jon Graham, rock guitarist and vocalist, Earth Wind and Fire-Celebrate 1951 Birthday Verdine White, U.S. bassist, Earth, Wind and Fire 1951 Birthday Ralph Johnson, rock drummer, Earth Wind and Fire-Shining Star 1951 Birthday Philip Bailey, rocker, Earth Wind and Fire-Shining Star, Easy Lover 1950 Birthday Andrew Woolfolk, U.S. pop musician, Earth, Wind and Fire-Shining Star 1950 Birthday Ronnie Laws, U.S. saxophonist/guitarist, Earth, Wind and Fire 1948 Event U.S. State Department announces work on placing objects into Earth orbit 1948 Event U.S. announced a study to launch an Earth satellite 1948 Birthday Jessica Cleaves, born in Los Angeles, California, singer, member, Friends of Distinction, performed with Earth, Wind & Fire 1948 Event "Heaven on Earth" closes at Century Theater New York City after 12 performances 1948 Event "Heaven on Earth" opens at Century Theater New York City for 12 performances 1948 Birthday Alan McKay, rocker, Earth Wind and Fire-Boogie Wonderland 1947 Event Taiwan passes Human Rights laws (Day of Earth Law) 1947 Birthday Jerney Kaagman, Dutch singer, Earth and Fire 1947 Birthday Candy Clark, born in Oklahoma, actress, Man Who Fell to Earth, Q, American Graffiti 1947 Birthday David Gee, director, Friends of the Earth 1946 Birthday Bert Bouquet, bassist, Earth and Fire, Focus 1946 Event 1st U.S. rocket to leave the Earth's atmosphere (50 miles up) 1944 Death Jessie Ralph, actress (Good Earth, San Francisco), dies at 79 1941 Birthday Maurice White, born in Memphis, Tennessee, nicknamed Reese, rocker, singer, songwriter, record producer, founded band Earth, Wind and Fire 1940 Death Walter Connolly, actor (It Happened One Night, Good Earth), dies at 53 1938 Event Nobel for literature awarded to Pearl Buck (Good Earth) 1937 Event Joris Ivens' "Spanish Earth" premieres in Hollywood 1936 Birthday Keith Barron, born in Mexborough, England, actor, At Earth's Core, Baby Love 1935 Death Jacques Urlus, tenor (Opera of Leipzig, Song of the Earth), dies at 68 1932 Birthday Ben[jamin William] Bova, U.S., sci-fi author, Exiled from Earth 1932 Event Pulitzer prize awarded to Pearl S. Buck (Good Earth) 1931 Birthday Algi[rda]s [Jonas] Budrys, Prussia, sci-fi author, Man of Earth 1930 Event Comet 73P/1930 (Schwassmann-Wachmann 3) approaches 0.0617 AUs of Earth 1930 Death Alois Walgrave, Flemish writer/pastor (Peace on Earth), dies at 54 1929 Event 1st airship flight around Earth flying eastward completed 1927 Event Comet 7P/Pons-Winnecke approaches within 0.0394 AUs of Earth 1924 Event Mars' closest approach to Earth since 10th century 1921 Birthday Betty Hutton, born in Michigan, American film actress, singer, 'Greatest Show on Earth' 1919 Birthday Edwin C Tubb, Brits sci-fi writer, Earth is Heaven, Earthfall 1917 Birthday [Dallas] Mack/McCord Reynolds, U.S., sci-fi author, Earth War 1914 Birthday Robert Wise, director, Day the Earth Stood Still, West Side Story 1914 Birthday Barbara Ward, economist/writer, Only One Earth 1911 Birthday Will Rogers, Jr., New York, actor, Down to Earth 1910 Event Passage of Earth through tail of Halley's Comet causes near-panic 1910 Event Comet Halley's closest approach to Earth in 1910 pass 1910 Birthday Douglas Spencer, actor, Thing, This Island Earth, River of No Return 1910 Birthday Luise Rainer, Austria, actress, Escapade, Good Earth, Big City 1909 Birthday Michael Rennie, England, actor, Robe, Klatuu-Day the Earth Stood Still 1907 Event Ringling Brothers Greatest Show on Earth buys Barnum and Bailey circus 1904 Birthday Lyle Latell, born in Iowa, actor, Not of the Earth, Sky Dragon 1903 Birthday Aram Katchaturian, Armenian composer, Earth 1898 Birthday Ben van Eysselsteijn, Dutch writer, Arid Earth 1897 Birthday Morris Ankrum, Illinois, actor, Kronos, Half Human, Earth vs Flying Saucers 1887 Birthday Walter Connolly, born in Cincinnati, Ohio, actor, Good Earth, 5th Avenue Girl 1886 Birthday Marianne [Goudeket-]Philips, Dutch author, Between Heaven and Earth 1881 Event Greatest Show On Earth was formed by PT Barnum and James A Bailey 1881 Event Barnum and Bailey's Greatest Show on Earth opens (MSG) 1876 Birthday O E Rolvaag, Norwegian-American novelist, Giants in the Earth 1873 Event P. T. Barnum's circus, "Greatest Show on Earth," debuts (New York City) 1873 Event P. T. Barnum Hippodrome featuring "Greatest Show on Earth," opens (New York City) 1869 Birthday Emma Goldman, anarchist/publisher, Mother Earth 1868 Death Leon Foucault, discovers 1st physical proof of Earth's rotation, dies 1867 Birthday Jacques Urlus, Dutch tenor, Opera of Leipzig, Song of the Earth 1864 Event Comet C/1864 N1 (Tempel) approaches within 0.0964 AUs of Earth 1853 Event Comet C/1853 G1 (Schweizer) approaches within 0.0839 AUs of Earth 1828 Birthday Jules Verne, born in France, pioneered sci-fi, From the Earth to the Moon 1819 Birthday Jean-Bernard-Leon Foucault, physicist, pendulum proved Earth rotates 1805 Event Comet 3D/1805 V1 (Biela) approaches within 0.0366 AUs of Earth 1797 Event Comet C/1797 P1 (Bouvard-Herschel) approaches 0.0879 AUs of Earth 1790 Event Robert Gray is 1st American to circumnavigate the Earth 1760 Event Comet C/1760 A1 (Great comet) approaches within 0.0682 AUs of Earth 1744 Event James Bradley announces discovery of Earth's nutation motion (wobble) 1743 Event Comet C/1743 C1 approaches within 0.0390 AUs of Earth 1702 Event Comet C/1702 H1 approaches within 0.0437 AUs of Earth 1633 Event Galileo Galilei forced to recant Earth orbits Sun by Pope (but on Oct 31, 1992, Vatican admits it was wrong) 1633 Event Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei arrived in Rome for trial before Inquisition for professing belief that earth revolves around the Sun 1581 Birthday James Ussher, Archbishop of Armagh, gave age to Earth based on bible 1519 Event Magellan's 5 ship set sail to circumnavigate Earth 1366 Event Comet 55P/1366 U1 (Tempel-Tuttle) approaches 0.0229 AUs of Earth 837 Event Comet 1P/837 F1 (Halley) approaches within 0.0334 AUs of Earth 610 Event Lailat-ul Qadar, night koran descended to Earth 607 Event Comet 1P/607 H1 (Halley) approaches within 0.0898 AUs of Earth 374 Event Comet 1P/374 E1 (Halley) approaches within 0.0884 AUs of Earth
