What happened on January 12th?

A bold mission uncovered mysteries of the solar system

Author

Matthew Jones
January 12, 2025

2005 NASA Launches Deep Impact on a Mission to Explore the Mysteries of Comets

On January 12th, 2005, NASA successfully launched Deep Impact, a spacecraft designed to collide with a comet and analyze its interior. The mission aimed to uncover insights into the composition and formation of these ancient celestial bodies, offering clues about the early solar system.

The photo shows comet Tempel 1 just 67 seconds after its collision with Deep Impact, taken by the flyby spacecraft's high-resolution camera. It shows features such as ridges, scalloped edges, and possibly ancient impact craters.

🗞️Today’s Headlines

Everything important that’s ever happened on January 12:

2010 ─ Haiti was devastated by a massive earthquake that caused widespread destruction and loss of life.

1969 ─ Joe Namath led the New York Jets to a 16–7 Super Bowl III victory over the Baltimore Colts after famously guaranteeing the win.

1966 ─ The live-action TV series Batman premiered on ABC, becoming a cultural phenomenon.

1932 ─ Hattie Ophelia Caraway became the first woman elected to the US Senate, breaking a historic barrier.

1773 ─ America’s oldest public museum was established in colonial Charleston, South Carolina.

🎂 Today’s Birthdays

On January 12, we’re singing to:

Alfred Rosenberg (1893) ─ German Nazi leader known for his role in shaping Nazi ideology and propaganda.

Kirstie Alley (1951) ─ American actress celebrated for her roles in Cheers and Look Who’s Talking.

 🪦Who Died Today?

On January 12, we’re saying goodbye to:

Vasco Núñez de Balboa (1519) ─ Spanish explorer credited with being the first European to see the Pacific Ocean from the New World.

Agatha Christie (1976) ─ British author known as the “Queen of Crime” and renowned for her detective novels, such as Murder on the Orient Express and And Then There Were None.

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