1 January in history.

1801

A new world in the night sky. Looking through his telescope in Palermo, Giuseppe Piazzi spotted a faint moving point of light. It was Ceres, today known as a dwarf planet, and he named it after the Roman goddess of farming.

Wikipedia: Giuseppe Piazzi

Photo: Justin Cowart / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

More from 1 January

1. 

   1773

   Amazing Grace is sung for the first time

   John Newton's hymn was most likely first heard at a prayer meeting in the small English town of Olney, set to a different tune from the one most people know today.

   Wikipedia: Amazing GraceWikipedia: Olney, Buckinghamshire

   Photo: Olney Hymns was published by John Newton and William Cowper ; the image is hosted at th… / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

2. 

   1892

   Ellis Island opens its doors

   The new immigration station in New York Harbor welcomed its first arrivals. Over the years that followed, close to 12 million people passed through it on their way to a new life in the United States.

   Wikipedia: Ellis Island

   Photo: Carol M. Highsmith / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

3. 

   1914

   The first airline timetable

   A small flying boat began carrying paying passengers across Tampa Bay in Florida. No airline had flown a regular timetable with a winged plane before.

   Wikipedia: St. Petersburg–Tampa Airboat Line

   Photo: Bjorn Larrson, David Zekria / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

4. 

   1985

   Britain's first mobile phone call

   Michael Harrison rang his father, Sir Ernest Harrison of Vodafone, on a mobile phone. It was the first mobile call made in the United Kingdom.

   Wikipedia: Mobile phoneWikipedia: Vodafone

   Photo: Jojhnjoy / 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.