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1900-1919
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1905
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Einstein states the special theory of relativity.
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1908
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Hertzsprung classifies stars by their brightness: dwarfs and giants.
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1912
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The period-luminosity correlation of Cepheids is calculated by H. Leavitt.
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1916
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Einstein publishes the general theory of relativity.
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1917
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The mirror of the Mount Wilson telescope (2.5 m) is put into use.
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1920-1939
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1923
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Hubble discovers that spiral nebulas are galaxies outside the Milky Way.
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1929
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Hubble suggests that the universe is expanding.
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1930
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Tombaugh discovers Pluto.
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1931
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The first radio waves in space are observed by Jansky.
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1937
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With a radio telescope, Reber observes radio radiation from the Milky Way.
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1938
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Hans Bethe states the theory of nuclear energy, source of star radiation.
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1940-1949
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1942
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Discovery of radio emissions from the Sun by the team of Hey.
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1946
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Identification of the most powerful radio source in the sky (Cygnus A) by Hey, Phillips, and Parsons.
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1948
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Use of the 5-m telescope on Mount Palomar (California) begins.
Cosmological theory of the stationary universe presented by Bond and Gold.
Big bang theory and the origin of elements is developed by Alpher and Gamow.
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1950-1959
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1952
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The scale of the distance to the galaxies is doubled by Baade.
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1957
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Launch of the first Sputnik: The era of space conquest opens.
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1959
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The Soviet probe Luna 3 takes the first pictures of the hidden side of the Moon.
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1960-1969
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1961
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Gagarin takes the first piloted space flight.
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1962
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The first planetary mission succeeds: The United States probe Mariner 2 flies past Venus.
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1963
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The first quasar is discovered by Schmidt at Mount Palomar.
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1965
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Discovery of radio radiation in deep space at 3 K by Penzias and Wilson.
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1967
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Bell Burnell discovers pulsars at Cambridge (Great Britain).
V. Komarov (USSR) is the first human victim of a space flight.
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1969
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The mission Apollo 11 (Armstrong and Aldrin) puts the first human on the Moon.
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1970-1974
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1971-1972
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The U.S. probe Mariner 9 orbits Mars and gathers the first images.
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1973
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First flight past Jupiter by Pioneer 10.
A telescope 4 m in diameter is put into service at Kitt Peak (Arizona).
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1974
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The probe Mariner 10 registers the first surface details of Mercury and of the
atmosphere of Venus.
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1975-1979
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1975
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Soviet space probes Verena 9 and 10 take the first photographs of the Sun from Venus.
U.S.-Soviet space docking of Apollo-Soyuz.
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1976
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U.S. probes Viking 1 and 2 land on Mars (first measurements of the atmosphere and surface).
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1977
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Kowal discovers the asteroid Chiron within the solar system.
Discovery of Uranus's rings.
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1978
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Christy discovers Charon, Pluto's satellite.
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1979
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Launch of two U.S. probes, Voyager 1 and 2, which fly past Jupiter.
Pioneer 11 achieves the first flyby of Saturn.
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1980-1984
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1980
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Long baseline interferometer is put into service in New Mexico.
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1980-1981
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First detailed study of Saturn and its rings by U.S. probes Voyager 1 and 2.
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1981
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First flight of the U.S. space shuttle.
Second flyby of Saturn by Voyager 2.
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1983
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First infrared scanning of space, by the Infrared Astronomy Satellite (IRAS), starts.
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1984
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First in-space repair of an artificial satellite.
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1985-1989
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1985-1986
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Observation of Halley's Comet by different Soviet, European, and Japanese probes.
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1986
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Flyby of Uranus by Voyager 2.
U.S. space shuttle Challenger explodes in flight.
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1987
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Supernova 1987A appears in the Large Magellanic Cloud.
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1988
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Record human stay in space: V. Titov and M. Manarov return to Earth after a
one-year-long space flight.
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1989
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Voyager 2 flies by Neptune.
Discovery of dense 'walls' and empty spaces in the spatial distribution of galaxies, by Geller and Uchra.
Two U.S. probes are launched: Magellan towards Venus, and Galileo towards Jupiter.
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1990-1999
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1990
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Launch of the Hubble Space Telescope; defectiveness of mirror is discovered.
First radar cartography of Venus made by Magellan.
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1992
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Two signals almost as old as the universe itself are registered by the satellite COBE.
Service of the telescope Keck, 10 m in diameter, begins.
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1993
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In-space repair of the Hubble Space Telescope.
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1994
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Fragmented comet Shoemaker-Levy collides with Jupiter.
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1995
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European Solar and Heliophysical Observatory (SOHO) launched to study the Sun.
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1996
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Mars Pathfinder and Sojourner rover explore the surface of Mars.
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1998
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Voyager 1 becomes most distant human-made object from Earth.
Construction of the International Space Station begins.
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1999
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Mars Global Surveyor begins systematic mapping of Mars.
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