At A Glance

17 August 1986 at a glance

Day of the week
17 August 1986 was a Sunday.
Kent Music Report No. 1
The Kent Music Report No. 1 was “Papa Don't Preach” by Madonna.
Top Film of 1986
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1986 was Top Gun.
Best-Selling Vehicle of 1986
Australia's top-selling new vehicle in 1986 was the Ford Falcon.
Star sign
The star sign for 17 August is Leo.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 17 August 1986 fell in the Year of the Tiger.
Birthstone
The birthstone for August is Peridot.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 17 August 1986 was Waxing Gibbous.

On this day: 17 August

  • 1970 Soviet Union Venera program: Venera 7 launched. It will become the first spacecraft to successfully transmit data from the surface of another planet (Venus).
  • 1977 The Soviet icebreaker Arktika becomes the first surface ship to reach the North Pole.
  • 1978 Double Eagle II becomes first balloon to cross the Atlantic Ocean when it lands in Miserey, France near Paris, 137 hours after leaving Presque Isle, Maine.
  • 1985 The 1985–86 Hormel strike begins in Austin, Minnesota.
  • 1998 Lewinsky scandal: US President Bill Clinton admits in taped testimony that he had an "improper physical relationship" with White House intern Monica Lewinsky; later that same day he admits before the nation that he "misled people" about the relationship.

Famous people born on 17 August

  • Robert De Niro, American actor, entrepreneur, director, and producer (born 1943)
  • Phoebe Bridgers, American singer/songwriter (born 1994)
  • Sean Penn, American actor, director, and political activist (born 1960)
  • Larry Ellison, American businessman, co-founded the Oracle Corporation (born 1944)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Choose your country: the charts, news and leaders change to match.

Events of 1986 in Australia

A selection from Wikipedia's '1986 in Australia'. Not a complete list.

  • 3 January – Federal Opposition Leader John Howard introduces a four-point plan to reduce interest rates.
  • 7 February – Following Lindy Chamberlain's identification of a baby's jacket found near Uluru as being similar to the one worn by her baby Azaria, her case takes a new turn.
  • 3 March – The Australia Act 1986 comes into effect at 1600 AEST, granting Australia legal independence from the United Kingdom by removing the power of the Parliament of the United Kingdom to legislate with effect in Australia and its states and territories.

Life in Australia in 1986

Prime Minister

Bob Hawke

Monarch

Queen Elizabeth II

Petrol (per litre)

$0.48

Loaf of Bread

$0.90

Average House

$72,000

Weekly Wage

$410.00

Or

Browse by Year

Famous Faces Born in the 1980s

Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.

Sources: Wikidata and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

About The Day You Were Born

Ever wondered what was happening in the world when you took your first breath? Our birthday lookup tool reveals the fascinating history of your special day.

About The Birthday Chronicle and where our data comes from →