1. Telescope – When was the first telescope invented.
The first telescope was invented in the early 17th century. The credit for its invention is generally given to Dutch eyeglass maker Hans Lippershey, who applied for a patent for a “certain device for seeing things far away” in 1608. However, other inventors such as Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei also played a significant role in the development of the telescope, using it to make groundbreaking observations of the Moon, planets, and stars..
2. Planets – When was the First Planet Discovered using telescope
In 1781, British astronomer William Herschel discovered Uranus, the first planet to be discovered since ancient times. His initial impression was that this is a star. But he found the next day that it had changed position
3. Star Catalog – When was the First Star Catalog Published
A star catalog is a list or database of stars and other celestial objects, typically accompanied by information such as their positions in the sky, brightness, and spectral characteristics. Star catalogs have been compiled throughout history by astronomers and navigators, with notable examples including the Hipparchus Catalogue in ancient Greece and the modern Gaia catalog, which aims to create a comprehensive 3D map of our Milky Way galaxy. These catalogs serve as important references for astronomers, astrophysicists, and space missions, allowing them to identify and study specific objects in the sky.
4. Supernova – When was the First Supernova Observed
The first recorded supernova was observed by Chinese astronomers in 185 AD. The event was visible for several weeks and described as a “guest star” in the sky. Today, this supernova remnant is known as RCW 86, and is one of the oldest recorded astronomical events. Since then, many supernovae have been observed and studied, providing valuable insights into the life cycle of stars and the nature of our universe.
5. Black Hole – When was the First Black Hole Discovered
The first black hole was not discovered directly, but rather inferred through observations of its effects on nearby stars and gas. The earliest candidate for a black hole was Cygnus X-1, a powerful X-ray source in the constellation Cygnus. In 1971, astronomers David Helfand and Paul Murdin suggested that Cygnus X-1 was a black hole candidate based on its mass and X-ray emissions. The discovery was later confirmed through further observations and is now widely accepted as the first black hole discovered.
6. Exoplanet – When was the first Exoplanet discovered
The first exoplanet, or planet outside our solar system, was discovered in 1995 by Swiss astronomers Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz. The planet, named 51 Pegasi b, orbits a star similar to our sun and is about half the size of Jupiter. This discovery opened up a whole new field of research and has led to the detection of thousands of exoplanets to date.
7. Comet Landing – When did the first Spacecraft land on a comet
The first spacecraft to land on a comet was the European Space Agency’s Rosetta mission, which landed its Philae lander on the surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko on November 12, 2014. This historic achievement provided valuable data about the composition and structure of comets, helping to deepen our understanding of the early Solar System.
8. Gravitational Wave – When was the First Gravitational Wave Detected
Gravitational waves are ripples in the fabric of spacetime caused by massive accelerating objects. They were first detected in 2015, confirming a major prediction of Einstein’s theory of General Relativity. Gravitational waves carry information about the universe’s most violent and energetic events, such as merging black holes and neutron stars. Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) detected the first ever gravitational waves.
9. Black Hole – When was First Image of a Black Hole taken
The first image of a black hole was captured and released on April 10, 2019. The image was taken by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT), a network of eight radio telescopes around the world that worked together to create an image of the supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy Messier 87 (M87).
