At A Glance

2 January 1980 at a glance

Day of the week
2 January 1980 was a Wednesday.
Kent Music Report No. 1
The Kent Music Report No. 1 was “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles.
Top Film of 1980
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1980 was The Empire Strikes Back.
Best-Selling Vehicle of 1980
Australia's top-selling new vehicle in 1980 was the Holden Commodore.
Star sign
The star sign for 2 January is Capricorn.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 2 January 1980 fell in the Year of the Goat.
Birthstone
The birthstone for January is Garnet.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 2 January 1980 was Full Moon.

On this day: 2 January

  • 1959 Luna 1, the first spacecraft to reach the vicinity of the Moon and to orbit the Sun, is launched by the Soviet Union.
  • 1963 Vietnam War: The Viet Cong wins its first major victory, at the Battle of Ap Bac.
  • 1967 Ronald Reagan, past movie actor and future President of the United States, is sworn in as Governor of California.
  • 1991 Sharon Pratt Dixon becomes the first African American woman mayor of a major city and first woman Mayor of the District of Columbia.
  • 2004 Stardust successfully flies past Comet Wild 2, collecting samples that are returned to Earth.

Famous people born on 2 January

  • Jim Bakker, American televangelist (1940–2026)
  • Kemi Badenoch, English politician (born 1980)
  • Dax Shepard, American actor (born 1975)
  • Kate Bosworth, American actress (born 1983)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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Events of 1980 in Australia

A selection from Wikipedia's '1980 in Australia'. Not a complete list.

  • 9 January – Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser announces sanctions against the Soviet Union following its invasion of Afghanistan.
  • 23 February – The 1980 Western Australian state election takes place and the Liberal/National coalition government of Sir Charles Court is re-elected.
  • 1 March – The federal executive of the Australian Labor Party decides to intervene in the Queensland branch, with most key office-holders replaced.

Life in Australia in 1980

Prime Minister

Malcolm Fraser

Monarch

Queen Elizabeth II

Petrol (per litre)

$0.30

Loaf of Bread

$0.60

Average House

$45,000

Weekly Wage

$225.00

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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)

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