NEA DATEBOOK

TODAY’S HISTORY: In 1781, Germanborn astronomer William Herschel discovered the planet Uranus.

In 1865, the Confederacy approved the use of slave troops against Union armies.

In 1991, the U.S. Justice Dept. announced that Exxon had agreed to pay $1.1 billion to settle all claims resulting from the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska.

In 2013, Pope Francis was elected the 266th pope of the Catholic Church.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS: Percival Lowell (1855-1916), astronomer; Giorgos Seferis (1900-1971), poet; Walter Annenberg (19082002), publisher/philanthropist; Sammy Kaye (1910-1987), bandleader; L. Ron Hubbard (1911-1986), author/Church of Scientology founder; Al Jaffee (1921-2023), cartoonist; Neil Sedaka (1939- ), singer-songwriter; William H. Macy (1950- ), actor; Dana

Delany (1956- ), actress; Common (1972- ), rapper/actor; Johan Santana (1979- ), baseball player; Emile Hirsch (1985- ), actor; Coco Gauff (2004- ), tennis player.

TODAY’S FACT: The 28 known moons of Uranus are named after characters from the works of William Shakespeare and Alexander Pope.

TODAY’S SPORTS: In 1960, the NFL approved the relocation of the Chicago Cardinals franchise to St. Louis.

TODAY’S QUOTE: “The greatest happiness comes from being vitally interested in something that excites all your energies.” — Walter Annenberg

TODAY’S NUMBER: 14.5 — length in miles of the undersea portion of the Seikan Tunnel in Japan, which opened this day in 1988.

TODAY’S MOON: Between new moon (March 10) and first quarter moon (March 16).