Moments in Time: Whirlpool Galaxy
The History Channel
On Oct. 13, 1773, French astronomer Charles Messier discovered the first-known spiral galaxy and named it the Whirlpool Galaxy. It would be another three centuries before scientists confirmed that our own galaxy, the Milky Way, is also spiral shaped.
On Oct. 14, 1977, pop singer, former beauty queen and spokesperson for Florida orange juice Anita Bryant was hit in the face with a pie by gay rights activist Tom Higgins while speaking at an Iowa event to promote her campaign to repeal anti-discrimination laws protecting LGBTQ people.
On Oct. 15, 1864, the world's first successful combat submarine, the H.L. Hunley, went down in Charleston Harbor during a demo run, killing its inventor and namesake along with seven crew members. The vessel was recovered and performed its only successful mission the following year when it sank the Yankee ship Housatonic, but sank again, taking its third ill-fated crew with it. Raised again in 2000, it is currently on exhibit in Charleston.
On Oct. 16, 1964, after conducting a successful nuclear test, China became the fifth nation with atomic bomb capability, after the United States, the Soviet Union, Great Britain and France.
On Oct. 17, 1985, magicians Penn & Teller notably responded to "Late Night" host David Letterman's invitation to "surprise" him on their next appearance on his show by unleashing hundreds of cockroaches from a top hat onto his desk. While Letterman was unsurprisingly hardly pleased, he later admitted the stunt made "great TV."
On Oct. 18, 1974, singer Al Green was attacked by his former girlfriend, Mary Woodson, in his Memphis home while taking a bath. Woodson dumped a pot of scalding grits on his back before retreating to a bedroom where she killed herself with Green's gun.
On Oct. 19, 1994, Jesse Timmendequas was charged with killing 7-year-old Megan Kanka in New Jersey. The crime inspired Megan's Law, a statute requiring that information about convicted sex felons be made available to the public. Versions of Megan's Law have been passed in many states since her death.
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