On this day

4 December in history.

5 moments from 1639 to 1998: discovery, creativity and courage, each with a source to read more.

5 moments

Transit of Venus

1639

Venus crosses the Sun. Jeremiah Horrocks and William Crabtree made the first successful observation of Venus passing across the face of the Sun.

Wikipedia: 1639 transit of Venus

Photo: NASA/SDO, HMI / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

More from 4 December

  1. 1791

    The first Sunday newspaper

    The first edition of The Observer was published, the world's first Sunday newspaper.

    Wikipedia: The Observer

  2. 1956

    The Million Dollar Quartet

    Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash got together at Sun Studio for the first and only time, singing around the piano.

    Wikipedia: Million Dollar QuartetWikipedia: Sun Studio

  3. Gemini 7 as seen from Gemini 6 during their rendezvous in space

    1965

    Gemini 7 heads for orbit

    Frank Borman and Jim Lovell launched on Gemini 7. Their spacecraft became the target for the first crewed meeting of two spacecraft in orbit.

    Wikipedia: Gemini 7Wikipedia: Space rendezvous

    Photo: NASA / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

  4. ISS Unity module (NASA) taken by STS-88 mission in December 1998

    1998

    Unity joins the space station

    The Unity module, the second piece of the International Space Station, was launched.

    Wikipedia: Unity (ISS module)Wikipedia: International Space Station

    Photo: NASA / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

Moments chosen for discovery, creativity and courage. Each one links to a source where you can read more; photos are credited to their owners.