British prime minister Margaret Thatcher won elections for a record third term.
Vincent van Gogh's famous painting 'Sunflowers' was sold for an incredible $39.7 million, the most ever paid for a painting.
The first Soul Train Music Awards took place in Santa Monica, California, US.
After years of court battles, Michael Donald's family was awarded $7 million.
Aretha Franklin became the first-ever female artist to enter the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
The Rutan Voyager became the first plane to fly around the world without stopping for fuel.
American mafia hitman Richard Kuklinski was arrested at a roadblock.
Argentina won West Germany at the FIFA World Cup Final held in Mexico City.
The crew aboard Japan Airlines Flight 1628 sighted three potential UFOs above Alaska.
A leak at a chemical factory in Basel, Switzerland, caused the Rhine to turn red.
Jankenteam's Alex Kidd in Miracle World was released in Japan for the Sega Master System.
The Statue of Liberty celebrated its 100th birthday.
British Newspaper 'The Independent' was first published.
The American neo-noir mystery film 'Blue Velvet' premiered in Toronto, Canada.
The Hands Across America charity event was held.
The Netherlands Institute for War Documentation published Anne Frank's complete diary.
Pripyat and surrounding areas were evacuated due to the Chernobyl disaster.
The Chernobyl power plant in Ukraine exploded, killing 31 people and spreading contamination across Western Europe.
Clint Eastwood was elected as Mayor of Carmel, California.
The Gay Rights Anti-Discrimination Bill was passed in New York City, US.
US Air Force divers located the Challenger Space Shuttle's crew cabin at the bottom of the ocean.
The Soviet Union's Vega 1 Space Probe began sending back images of Halley's Comet.
Swedish Prime Minister, Olof Palme, was shot at point-blank range on the busiest road in Sweden.
Corazon Aquino was elected as the first female president of the Philippines.
The USSR launched the Mir core module, the first module of the new space station.
Actor Yul Brynner starred in an anti-smoking ad campaign while dying of smoking-related lung cancer.
Mother Teresa and The Pope met in Calcutta, where they both fed the sick.
Space Shuttle Challenger exploded just 73 seconds after takeoff, killing all seven crew members.
NASA's Voyager 2 came into close contact with Uranus and captured many images that uncovered 11 new moons.
NASA's Columbia Space Shuttle completed mission STS-61-C when it landed at the Edwards Air Force Base.
Pope John Paul II established World Youth Day, an event for young Christians around the world.
NASA's Challenger Space Shuttle launched for its final successful mission, STS-61-A.
Hurricane Gloria finally dissipated after ripping through North Eastern US since September 16.
The Mexico City earthquake claimed the lives of up to 45,000 people.
Super Mario Bros was released for the Nintendo Family Computer in Japan.
The Handsworth riots began in Birmingham, England, after a man was arrested near Acapulco Café, Lozells.
A three-year-old boy from Dublin became the world's youngest heart and lung transplant patient.
The National Space Development Agency of Japan selected Mamoru Mohri, Chiaki Mukai, and Takao Doi as Japan’s first astronauts.
NASA launched Intelsat VA F-11 into orbit.
Sultan bin Salman Al Saud became the first Arab and the first Muslim to fly into space.
Russian spacecraft Vega 2 landed on Venus.
Soviet Space Program's Vega 1, which was launched on December 15, 1984, released a space probe to enter Venus.
Germany banned the denial of Nazi genocide against Jewish people during the Holocaust.
Coca-Cola launched their ill-fated new formula known unofficially as 'New Coke.'
Pope John Paul II proclaimed the day as the first-ever World Youth Day.
The 'Night Stalker' serial killer, Richard Ramirez, committed his second and third murders in LA, USA.
The very first .com domain was registered.
New York, New York became the official anthem of New York City.
Margaret Thatcher became the first post-war prime minister who was refused a degree.
Hong Kong Treaty Signed.
