This Day In History : November 13

1978 United States

NASA launches HEAO 2

On November 13, 1978, NASA launched the High Energy Astronomy Observatory 2 (HEAO 2), also known as the Einstein Observatory. This mission was designed to observe X-ray sources in the universe, providing valuable data on cosmic phenomena such as black holes, neutron stars, and supernova remnants.

Also on This Day in History November 13

Discover what happened on November 13 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, November 13

1809 John Adolphus Bernard Dahlgren

US Navy officer and inventor of the smooth-bore cannon
1878 Max Dehn

German mathematician (Dehn’s lemma)
1902 Gustav von Koenigswald

German-Dutch paleontologist, founder of Pithecanthropus erectus
1954 Scott McNealy

American businessman, CEO of Sun Microsystems
1893 Edward Doisy

American bio-chemist (Vitamin K1) , Nobel 1943

Deaths on This Day, November 13

2010 Allan Rex Sandage

American astronomer who discovered the first optical identification of a quasi-stellar radio source (quasar)
1953 Herbert E. Ives

American physicist and inventor of transmission of mechanical video pictures
1963 Margaret Murray

English anthropologist and Egyptologist
1903 Camille Pissarro

French painter
1770 George Grenville

British Prime Minister (1763-65) who introduced the Stamp Act

1887

Bloody Sunday in London

On November 13, 1887, Bloody Sunday occurred in London when a peaceful demonstration in Trafalgar Square turned violent. The protest, organized by the Social Democratic Federation and Irish National League, sought to address issues such as unemployment and Irish Home Rule. Clashes with police resulted in numerous injuries and arrests, highlighting tensions in British society.

1946

Artificial Snow Produced Over Mount Greylock, Massachusetts

On November 13, 1946, scientists successfully produced artificial snow from a natural cloud over Mount Greylock, Massachusetts. This groundbreaking experiment marked the first time that cloud seeding was used to create snowfall, paving the way for advancements in weather modification technology.

1984

David Levy Discovers His First Comet

On November 13, 1984, amateur astronomer David Levy discovered his first comet, marking the beginning of his illustrious career in comet hunting. This discovery was the first of many, as Levy went on to co-discover 22 comets, significantly contributing to the field of astronomy.

1971

Mariner 9 Enters Martian Orbit

On November 13, 1971, NASA's Mariner 9 became the first spacecraft to orbit another planet when it entered orbit around Mars. This historic achievement allowed Mariner 9 to capture detailed images of the Martian surface and study its atmosphere and climate, paving the way for future missions to explore the Red Planet.