The R-7 (Russian: -7) was a Soviet missile developed during the Cold War, and the world's first intercontinental ballistic missile. The R-7 made 28 launches between 1957 and 1961, but was never deployed operationally. A derivative, the R-7A, was deployed from 1960 to 1968. To the West it was known b...
Doomwatch is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC, which ran on BBC One between 1970 and 1972. The series was set in the then present-day, and dealt with a scientific government agency led by Doctor Spencer Quist (played by John Paul), responsible for investigating an...
Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Ulrich Hans Walter (born February 9, 1954) is a German physicist/engineer and a former DFVLR astronaut. In 1993, he flew on board the Space Shuttle Columbia on mission STS-55 (Spacelab D-2) as a Payload Specialist. He spent 9 days, 23 hours, and 40 minutes in space. Read more
Dating the fall of Babylon and Ur The traditional date of 1595 BCE for the destruction of Babylon by the Hittite king Mursili I is accepted by most historians for many years despite notable controversies. This pivotal date is considered crucial to the various calculations of the early chronology of...
Asteroid (327) Columbia is a main-belt asteroid with an average distance of 2.78 AU, and a 4.63 year orbital period. It was discovered by Auguste Charlois on March 22, 1892 in Nice and named in honour of Christopher Columbus. Read more
This shower was an unusual one-time event that occurred on the 9th February, 1913. The event was unusual because the meteors did not radiate from a single point in the sky; which meant their orbital path was probably around the Earth, rather than the Sun. Because of a lack of a radiant the shower is name...
NGC 2107 (also ESO 57-SC32) is a magnitude +11.5 open cluster in the Large Magellanic Cloud located in the constellation Mensa. The cluster was discovered by British astronomer John Herschel using a 47.5 cm (18.7 inch) reflecting telescope at the Cape of Good Hope on the 9th February 1836. Right As...
NGC 2150 (also ESO 57-55, IRAS05562-6933 and PGC 18097) is a magnitude +13.2 barred spiral galaxy located 210 million light-years away in the constellation Dorado. The galaxy was discovered by British astronomer John Herschel using a 47.5 cm (18.7 inch) reflecting telescope at the Cape of Good Ho...
NGC 2111 (also ESO 57-SC35) is a magnitude +12.5 open star cluster located in the constellation Mensa. The cluster was discovered by British astronomer John Herschel using a 47.5 cm (18.7 inch) reflecting telescope at the Cape of Good Hope on the 9th February 1836. Right Ascension 05h 44m 33.1s, De...
NGC 2121 (also ESO 57-SC40) is a magnitude +12.4 open cluster located in the constellation Mensa. The cluster was discovered by British astronomer John Herschel using a 47.5 cm (18.7 inch) reflecting telescope at the Cape of Good Hope on the 9th February 1836. Right Ascension 05h 48m 12.4s, Declin...
NGC 2881 (also Arp 275, MCG -2-24-21 and PGC 26747) is a magnitude +13.3 pair of interacting spiral galaxies located 232 & 235 million light-years away in the constellation Hydra. The galaxy was discovered by American astronomer Lewis A. Swift using a 40.6 cm (16 inch) Alvan Clark and Sons refra...
NGC 2895 (also CG 10-14-18, GWT 289.9 and PGC 27092) is a magnitude +14.0 barred spiral galaxy located 406 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major. The galaxy was discovered by British astronomer John Herschel using a 47.5 cm (18.7 inch) reflecting telescope at Windsor Road, Slou...
NGC 3264 (also UGC 5719, MCG 9-17-69, GWT 266.54, IRAS10291 5620 and PGC 31125) is a magnitude +11.9 barred spiral galaxy located 43 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major. The galaxy was discovered by British astronomer John Herschel using a 47.5 cm (18.7 inch) reflecting teles...
Tyazhely Sputnik (Sputnik 7) reentered the atmosphere over Siberia on 26 February 1961 A pendant shaped like a small globe with the continents etched on it was placed on the 1VA. Inside this small sphere was a medal depicting the Earth-to-Venus flight path. On the other side of the medal was the emble...
