On November 12, 1799, Andrew Ellicott, an early American
astronomer, witnessed the Leonids meteor shower from
a ship off the Florida Keys. Ellicott wrote in his journal
that the “whole heaven appeared as if illuminated with
sky rockets, flying in an infinity of directions, and I was
in constant expectation of some of them falling on the
vessel.

They continued until put out by the light of the sun after
day break.” Ellicott’s journal entry is the first known record
of a meteor shower in North America.

 
ROSS SIMPSON

Galileo di Vincenzo Bonaiuti de’ Galilei
(15 February 1564 – 8 January 1642)

With eight planets in our solar system, more than 200 moons
surround those natural satellites.

Jupiter, one of the most recognizable planets, has 80 of those
moons.

On this day in history, Jan. 7, 1610, Galileo discovered the
moons of Jupiter — making it the first observation of this
planet. 

The astronomer discovered the moons with a homemade
telescope.

Tomb of Galileo, Santa Croce, Florence.

PORTLAND, Ore. — It’s called the ‘Ring of Fire’ because it’s
when the moon is in front of the sun, which creates a circle
of light with darkness in the middle.

NASA says it will be visible in all continental states including
Alaska.

The eclipse will start just after 9 a.m. on October 14th and last
a few minutes in each location.

If you’re planning to watch, remember not to look up at the sun,
even during this phenomenon. You will need certified eclipse
glasses.

German astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle (below) 
discovered the planet Neptune at the Berlin
Observatory.

Johann Gottfried Galle
(9 June 1812 – 10 July 1910)

The the Berlin Observatory. 

The 1829 9"/24cm refractor telescope of New Berlin
Observatory that discovered Neptune.

Artist’s impression of the planet Neptune.

The blue gas giant, which has a diameter four
times that of Earth, was named for the Roman
god of the sea. It has eight known moons, of
which Triton is the largest, and a ring system
containing three bright and two dim rings.

It completes an orbit of the sun once every
165 years. In 1989, the U.S. planetary
spacecraft Voyager 2 was the first human
spacecraft to visit Neptune.