Thirty-seven years ago today, the Hubble Space Telescope embarked on a journey that would fundamentally transform humanity's view of the cosmos. Launched into low Earth orbit by the Space Shuttle Discovery on April 24, 1989, the observatory built by NASA with assistance from the European Space Agency continues to operate as one of the largest and most versatile space telescopes ever constructed.
What distinguishes Hubble from its terrestrial counterparts extends beyond its impressive longevity. The telescope holds the unique distinction of being the only space telescope designed for in-orbit maintenance by astronauts. Positioned outside the distorting effects of Earth's atmosphere, Hubble captures extremely high-resolution images with substantially lower background light than ground-based telescopes can achieve.
The scientific contributions of this vital research tool have proven immeasurable. Hubble's observations have led to breakthrough discoveries in astrophysics, including the determination of the universe's age. The telescope provides researchers with an unprecedented deep view into space, enabling investigations that were previously impossible from Earth's surface.
Other Notable Events on April 24
This date marks several other significant milestones in history. In 1704, the first newspaper in the United States, the New-Letter, was published in Boston, Massachusetts. Nearly two centuries later, in 1897, William Price from the Washington Star became the first reporter assigned to cover the White House, establishing a tradition of presidential press coverage that continues today.
The entertainment world celebrates two legendary performers born on this date. Barbra Streisand turns 85 today, while Shirley MacLaine marks her 93rd birthday. MacLaine, an esteemed dancer, actress, writer, and spiritual seeker, has earned six Academy Award nominations throughout her distinguished career. She received a nomination for Best Documentary Feature for A China Memoir, and Best Actress nominations for Some Came Running with Frank Sinatra in 1958, The Apartment and Irma la Douce with Jack Lemmon between 1960 and 1963, and The Turning Point in 1977, before winning Best Actress for Terms of Endearment in 1983.
MacLaine has also won an Emmy, seven Golden Globe awards, the AFI and Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Awards, and has written 15 best-selling books. Her latest release, "Out on a Leash: How Terry's Death Gave Me New Life," focuses on her relationship with one of her beloved rescue dogs. In recent years, she has appeared in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Downton Abbey, and The Last Word, a 2017 film about a powerful senior who sets out to rewrite her inevitable obituary. MacLaine treasures her relationship with actor Warren Beatty, her famous younger brother who grew up with her in Virginia.
Still accepting acting roles and regularly flying to see shows in New York, she described her life in the New Mexico mountains with her dogs as very full, stating, "It's the best I've ever been."
Historical Milestones
On this day 494 years ago, in 1533, William from the House of Nassau, known commonly as William of Orange, was born. This wealthy nobleman would become the founding father of the Netherlands, risking everything to break the Spanish Habsburg's concentration of power in the Low Countries. His actions launched the 80 Years War that led to the formation of the Netherlands in the 17th century.
Despite being Catholic himself, William came from a nation of Protestants, Calvinists, Anabaptists, and Mennonites who opposed Spanish Catholic Habsburg persecution. In 1564, he delivered a speech to the Council of State, declaring that he could not agree that monarchs should rule over the souls of their subjects and take from them their freedom of belief and religion.
After years of conflict, William was given the title "Count of Holland and Zeeland," making him the first Dutch monarch of an independent Dutch Republic. Though he was assassinated shortly after, his successors continued the fight until victory. The newly-freed kingdom entered a golden age of trade, art, science, and exploration.
In 1895, 132 years ago today, Joshua Slocum set sail in The Spray from Boston, Massachusetts, beginning a three-year journey that would make him the first man to solo-sail the globe's circumference. His book, Sailing Alone Around the World, became an international best-seller and a cornerstone of travel literature. Sir Edwin Arnold, the English poet and journalist, wrote in his review: "I do not hesitate to call it the most extraordinary book ever published."
Finally, 227 years ago today in 1800, the Library of Congress was established by the United States Congress in Washington, DC, with an initial appropriation of $5,000 for the purchase of books and maps. After the British destroyed most of the original collection during the War of 1812, Thomas Jefferson restored its shelves by selling his entire personal collection of 6,487 books to the Library.
Additional milestones on this date include Winston Churchill being knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, the first television signal being bounced off a satellite at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1962, and Bill Shoemaker winning his 8,000th horse race in 1981—2,000 more than any other jockey at that time.