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Today in History: Bond and Whipple photograph Vega, first star image

7/17/2026

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Summary

Story summary

On July 17, in 1850, astronomer William Cranch Bond and photographer John Adams Whipple captured a daguerreotype of Vega, creating the first successful photograph of a star beyond the Sun. Their breakthrough proved daguerreotype chemistry could record stellar light, launching modern astrophotography.

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Story summary

On July 17, in 1850, astronomer William Cranch Bond and photographer John Adams Whipple captured a daguerreotype of Vega, creating the first successful photograph of a star beyond the Sun. Their breakthrough proved daguerreotype chemistry could record stellar light, launching modern astrophotography.