Today in History – January 26, 1697- Isaac Newton solves Bernoulli’s brachistochrone problem, inventing the “calculus of variations”. The story goes that Jean Bernoulli gave Isaac Newton a challenge solve the following problem in six months:
We are given two fixed points in a vertical plane. A particle starts from rest at one [...]
Entries Tagged as 'Astronomy'
Engineering Education "Today in History" Blog: Isaac Newton and Calculus of Variations
January 26th, 2010 · Add a Comment
Tags: Astronomy · Computer Science · Electrical Engineering · Engineering Mechanics · General Engineering, Engineering Science · Mathematical Sciences · Mechanical Engineering · Nuclear Engineering · Physical Sciences · Physics
Engineering Education "Today in History" Blog: Voyager 1 becomes most distant human-made object in space
February 17th, 2009 · Add a Comment
Today in History – February 17, 1998 – “ Voyager 1 becomes the most distant human-made object from the Sun. Voyager 1 was launched on September 5, 1977 and it passed Saturn in November 1980. It continues a trajectory that takes it out of the solar system, making it the most distant spacecraft [...]
Tags: Aerospace Engineering · Astronomy · Physics
Engineering Education "Today in History" Blog: Voyager 1 takes first photo of our solar system
February 14th, 2009 · Add a Comment
Today in History – February 14, 1990 - First photo of the solar system is taken and dubbed the “family portrait” of our solar system as seen from outside.
Voyager 1 was launched on September 5, 1977 and it passed Saturn in November 1980. It continued a trajectory that took it out of the solar system, [...]
Tags: Aerospace Engineering · Astronomy
Engineering Education "Today in History" Blog: Space Shuttle Challenger Explodes After Launch
January 28th, 2009 · Add a Comment
Today in History – January 28, 1986 – Space Shuttle Challenger explodes after launch, killing the entire crew. American’s stared in shock at their televisions watching the Challenger accident in full motion video. The 35th Challenger’s flight had been previously scheduled for January 22, but delayed because of bad weather, high winds and icicles [...]
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Engineering Education "Today in History" Blog: Hubble discovers a galaxy outside the Milky Way
December 30th, 2008 · 1 Comment
Today in History – December 30, 1924 – Edwin Powell Hubble announces his discovery of a galaxy outside the Milky Way. Edwin Hubble was one of the leading astronomers of the twentieth century. His discovery that not only one, but countless galaxies, exist beyond our own Milky Way galaxy forever changed our understanding of the [...]
Tags: Aerospace Engineering · Astronomy · Physics