This Day In History : March 6

1986 Russian Federation

Vega 1 Flies by Halley's Comet

On March 6, 1986, the USSR's Vega 1 spacecraft made a close flyby of Halley's Comet, coming within 8,889 kilometers. This historic encounter provided detailed data and images of the comet's nucleus. The mission contributed valuable insights into the nature of comets.

Also on This Day in History March 6

Discover what happened on March 6 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, March 6
  • 1937 Valentina Tereshkova

    Soviet cosmonaut and 1st woman in space (Vostok 6)

  • 1917 Harry Coover

    American chemist and inventor who invented Superglue

  • 1812 Aaron Lufkin Dennison

     American watch manufacturer and businessman (Tremont Watch Company), 'Father of American watchmaking'

  • 1912 Madge Adam

    English solar astronomer who was 1st solar physicist at Oxford university's observatory

  • 1927 Gordon Cooper

    American aerospace engineer and astronaut (Mercury-Atlas 9, Gemini 5)

Deaths on This Day, March 6
  • 1900 Gottlieb Daimler

    German engineer and inventor who designed 1st motorcycle

  • 1838 John Stevens

    American inventor who invented steam engines

  • 2018 John E. Sulston

    British molecular biologist who worked on roundworm genome sequencing, 2002 Nobel Prize in Physiology

  • 1939 Ferdinand von Lindemann

    German mathematician who Proved π is a transcendental number

  • 2005 Hans Bethe

    German-American quantum physicist, Nobel 1967

1957

Ghana Becomes First African Nation to Gain Independence

On March 6, 1957, Ghana achieved independence from British colonial rule, becoming the first African country to do so. This historic milestone marked a significant moment in the continent's path toward self-determination and sovereignty.
1869

First Periodic Table of Chemical Elements Presented in 1869

On March 6, 1869, Dmitri Mendeleev presented the first periodic table of chemical elements. This groundbreaking work organized elements based on their atomic weights and properties, laying the foundation for modern chemistry.
2015

NASA's Dawn Spacecraft Orbits Ceres for the First Time

On March 6, 2015, at 7:39 EST, NASA's Dawn spacecraft successfully entered orbit around the dwarf planet Ceres. This achievement provided new insights into Ceres and its role in the early solar system.
1521

Magellan Discovers Guam

On March 6, 1521, Ferdinand Magellan reached Guam during his circumnavigation of the globe. His arrival marked the first European contact with the island. This discovery played a crucial role in expanding European knowledge of the Pacific.
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