One
On 13 September 1959, the first spacecraft successfully made contact with another celestial body. Which spacecraft and celestial body were involved?
- Kal-L 1 and Mercury
- Luna 2 and the Moon
- Mariner 3 and Mars
Answer: Luna 2 And the Moon
…the Soviets launched their second Cosmic Rocket (later renamed Luna 2) on Sep. 12 and it successfully achieved escape velocity and placed the spacecraft, virtually identical to Luna 1, on an intercept course with the Moon. The upper stage once again released its one kilogram of sodium gas at a distance of 97,000 miles. On Sep. 13, Luna 2 became the first spacecraft to make contact with another celestial body when it impacted the Moon between Mare Imbrium and Mare Serenitatis, about 160 miles from where Apollo 15 would land 12 years later. The spacecraft’s scientific instruments detected no magnetic field or radiation belts around the Moon. Luna 2 deposited Soviet emblems on the lunar surface, carried in two metallic spheres. During his only visit to the United States a few days after the Luna 2 mission, Soviet Premier Nikita S. Khrushchev presented a replica of the spherical pennant to President Dwight D. Eisenhower. That sphere is kept at the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in Abilene, Kansas, while a copy is displayed at the Kansas Cosmosphere in Hutchinson, Kansas.
— NASA
Two
The 13 September Japanese release of Super Mario Bros marked the start of the Super Mario series of platforming games.
- 1985
- 1991
- 1997
Answer: 1985
Super Mario Bros. is a 1985 platform game developed by Nintendo for the NES. Players control Mario or Luigi to rescue Princess Toadstool from Bowser, traversing side-scrolling stages and collecting power-ups. The game is praised for its precise controls and is credited with reviving the video game industry after the 1983 crash.
Three
On 12 September 1988, Hurricane Gilbert set a record as the strongest hurricane in the Western Hemisphere, based on barometric pressure. Which 2005 hurricane surpassed this record?
- Maria
- Rita
- Wilma
Answer: Wilma
Hurricane Gilbert, a Category 5 hurricane in 1988, caused widespread destruction in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. It was the second-most intense Atlantic landfalling hurricane (only behind 2005’s Hurricane Wilma) and the most intense to strike Mexico.
Four
Hannibal Goodwin patented celluloid photographic film on this date. In what decade did this occur?
- 1890s
- 1900s
- 1910s
Answer: 1890s
Five
On 13 September 1899, the first ascent of Batian was achieved. Of what mountain is Batian the highest peak?
- Mount Erebus
- Mount Fuji
- Mount Kenya
Answer: Mount Kenya
Mount Kenya, located near the equator in Kenya, has three highest peaks: Batian, Nelion, and Point Lenana. It is the source of the country’s name.
Quizology Online 