November 6

1572: Tycho's Nova, a supernova was observed in the constellation Cassiopeia. 1638: Scottish astronomer James Gregory, who invented the reflector telescope, was born. 1814: Adolphe Sax, inventor of the saxophone (no kidding), was born. 1854: American conductor John Philip Sousa was born. 1857: William Noyes, who was the first chemist hired by the U.S. Bureau of Standards, was born. 1928: The New York Times mounted the first moving electric sign in the U.S. around the top of the Times Building in Times Square, NYC. 1936: RCA displayed its television for the press. 1962: Saudi Arabia abolished slavery - that's right, 1962! 1984: The New York Stock Exchange was open for the first time on a presidential election day. 2006: A joint MIT-Cambridge presentation of the breakthrough "Silent Aircraft" technology was made.