1758 - French astronomer Charles Messier mistakenly identifies the Crab Nebula so begins his Messier Catalogue
1848 - Switzerland becomes a Federal state.
1890 - Cecil Rhodes' colonies reach Mashonaland and found Fort Salisbury (now Harare, Zimbabwe).
1959 - Luna 2 launched by USSR; 1st spacecraft to impact on Moon
1965 - Hurricane Betsy strikes Florida & Louisiana kills 75
1992 - Hurricane Inuki pounds Hawaii
1992 - STS-47 (Endeavour 2) launches
1993 - STS-51 (Discovery) launches into orbit
