1959 venus occults the star regulus
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1959 67 years ago Historical Events July 7 3 sources

Venus occults the star Regulus. This rare event is used to determine the diameter of Venus and the structure of the Venusian atmosphere.

On July 7, in the year 1959, Venus occults the star Regulus. This rare event is used to determine the diameter of Venus and the structure of the Venusian atmosphere. This event is recorded as a Historical Events event in the history of July 7, one of 377 recorded events on this date across all of history.

Venus is the second planet from the Sun. Similar in size and mass to Earth, Venus has no liquid water, and its atmosphere is far thicker and denser than that of any other rocky body in the Solar System. The atmosphere is composed mostly of carbon dioxide and has a thick cloud layer of sulfuric acid that spans the whole planet. At the mean surface level, the atmosphere reaches a temperature of 737 K and a pressure 92 times greater than Earth's at sea level, turning the lowest layer of the atmosphere into a supercritical fluid. From Earth, Venus is visible as a star-like point of light, appearing brighter than any other natural point of light in the sky, as either the brightest "morning star" or "evening star".

Key Facts

  • This event took place on July 7, 1959 (AD era).
  • It is categorised as a Historical Events event in recorded history.
  • Referenced in 3 Wikipedia articles.
  • Wikipedia source last updated on 20 June 2026.

On This Date in History 377

Type Year Date Event
Notable Deaths 2025 Jul 7 Wayne Dobson, English magician (born 1957)
Notable Deaths 2025 Jul 7 Roman Starovoyt, Russian politician (born 1972)
Notable Deaths 2025 Jul 7 Norman Tebbit, English journalist and politician, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (born 1931)
Notable Deaths 2024 Jul 7 Jane McAlevey, American labor organizer and author (born 1964)
Historical Events 2022 Jul 7 Boris Johnson announces his resignation as leader of the Conservative Party following days of pressure from the…
Historical Events 2021 Jul 7 Haitian crisis: Haitian President Jovenel Moïse is assassinated in his residence in the capital of Port-au-Prince.
Notable Deaths 2021 Jul 7 Robert Downey Sr., American actor and director (born 1936)
Notable Deaths 2021 Jul 7 Dilip Kumar, Indian film actor (born 1922)
Notable Deaths 2021 Jul 7 Jovenel Moïse, Haitian entrepreneur and politician, President of Haiti (born 1968)
Historical Events 2019 Jul 7 The United States defeated the Netherlands 2–0 at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup final in Lyon, France.
Historical Events 2017 Jul 7 The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was adopted with 122 countries voting in favour.
Historical Events 2016 Jul 7 Ex-US Army soldier Micah Xavier Johnson shoots fourteen policemen, killing five of them, in downtown Dallas, Texas at…
Selected Events 2016 Jul 7 A U.S. Army Reserve veteran ambushed and shot at police officers (memorial service pictured) in Dallas, killing five…
Notable Deaths 2015 Jul 7 Maria Barroso, Portuguese actress and politician (born 1925)
Notable Deaths 2015 Jul 7 Bob MacKinnon, American basketball player and coach (born 1927)
Notable Deaths 2014 Jul 7 Alfredo Di Stéfano, Argentinian-Spanish footballer and coach (born 1926)
Notable Deaths 2014 Jul 7 Eduard Shevardnadze, Georgian general and politician, 2nd President of Georgia (born 1928)
Notable Deaths 2014 Jul 7 Peter Underwood, Australian lawyer and politician, 27th Governor of Tasmania (born 1937)
Historical Events 2013 Jul 7 A De Havilland Otter air taxi crashes in Soldotna, Alaska, killing ten people.
Notable Deaths 2013 Jul 7 Artur Hajzer, Polish mountaineer (born 1962)
Notable Deaths 2013 Jul 7 Robert Hamerton-Kelly, South African-American pastor, theologian, and author (born 1938)
Notable Deaths 2013 Jul 7 Donald J. Irwin, American lawyer and politician, 32nd Mayor of Norwalk, Connecticut (born 1926)
Notable Deaths 2013 Jul 7 Ben Pucci, American football player and sportscaster (born 1925)
Historical Events 2012 Jul 7 At least 172 people are killed in a flash flood in the Krasnodar Krai region of Russia.
Notable Deaths 2012 Jul 7 Dennis Flemion, American drummer (born 1955)
Notable Deaths 2012 Jul 7 Ronaldo Cunha Lima, Brazilian poet and politician (born 1936)
Notable Deaths 2012 Jul 7 Doris Neal, American baseball player (born 1928)
Notable Deaths 2012 Jul 7 Jerry Norman, American sinologist and linguist (born 1936)
Notable Deaths 2012 Jul 7 Leon Schlumpf, Swiss politician (born 1927)
Historical Events 2011 Jul 7 A man goes on a killing spree in Grand Rapids, Michigan, killing 7 and wounding 2 before killing himself.
Notable Deaths 2011 Jul 7 Allan W. Eckert, American historian and author (born 1931)
Notable Deaths 2011 Jul 7 Dick Williams, American baseball player, coach, and manager (born 1929)
Notable Deaths 2008 Jul 7 Bruce Conner, American sculptor, painter, and photographer (born 1933)
Notable Deaths 2008 Jul 7 Dorian Leigh, American model (born 1917)
Historical Events 2007 Jul 7 The first Live Earth benefit concert was held in 11 locations around the world.
Notable Deaths 2007 Jul 7 Anne McLaren, British scientist (born 1927)
Notable Deaths 2007 Jul 7 Donald Michie, British scientist (born 1923)
Historical Events 2006 Jul 7 A shootout happens in Spiritwood, Canada, killing 2 Royal Canadian Mounted Police and wounding a 3rd officer.
Notable Deaths 2006 Jul 7 Syd Barrett, English singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1946)
Notable Deaths 2006 Jul 7 Juan de Ávalos, Spanish sculptor (born 1911)
Notable Deaths 2006 Jul 7 John Money, New Zealand-American psychologist and author (born 1921)
Historical Events 2005 Jul 7 A series of four explosions occurs on London's transport system, killing 56 people, including four suicide bombers,…
Historical Events 2003 Jul 7 NASA Opportunity rover, MER-B or Mars Exploration Rover–B, was launched into space aboard a Delta II rocket.
Notable Deaths 2003 Jul 7 Izhak Graziani, Bulgarian trumpet player and conductor (born 1924)
Notable Deaths 2001 Jul 7 Fred Neil, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1936)
Notable Deaths 2000 Jul 7 Kenny Irwin Jr., American race car driver (born 1969)
Notable Births 1999 Jul 7 Moussa Diaby, French footballer
Notable Deaths 1999 Jul 7 Vikram Batra, Param Vir Chakra, Indian Army personnel (born 1974)
Notable Deaths 1999 Jul 7 Julie Campbell Tatham, American author (born 1908)
Notable Deaths 1998 Jul 7 Moshood Abiola, Nigerian businessman and politician (born 1937)

This article draws on content from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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