First Heat-Sensitive Stamp
On June 20, 2017, the USPS issued the first-ever heat sensitive stamp, honoring the total solar eclipse that occurred later that year.
Science
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Launch of Pioneer 11
On April 5, 1973 (some sources cite April 6 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time), the Pioneer 11 space probe launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
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First Light of the Hale Telescope
On January 26, 1949, the Hale Telescope at Palomar Observatory first saw light. Still in use today, the Hale telescope is one of the world’s largest optical telescopes.
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Birth of Benjamin Banneker
Benjamin Banneker was born on November 9, 1731, in Baltimore County, Maryland.
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Birth of Florence Nightingale
Nurse and social reformer Florence Nightingale was born on May 12, 1820, in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
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Birth of Leonardo da Vinci
Renaissance Man Leonardo da Vinci was born on April 15, 1452, in Vinci, Republic of Florence, Italy.
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First Man in Space
On April 12, 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first person to travel into space.
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Final Mission to the Moon
On December 11, 1972, Apollo 17 became the last manned NASA mission to the Moon.
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First Solar Eclipse Over the U.S. in 38 Years
August 21, 2017, marks the first total solar eclipse of the sun to pass over the United States since 1979.
