At A Glance

8 February 1979 at a glance

Day of the week
8 February 1979 was a Thursday.
Kent Music Report No. 1
The Kent Music Report No. 1 was “Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?” by Rod Stewart.
Top Film of 1979
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1979 was Moonraker.
Best-Selling Vehicle of 1979
Australia's top-selling new vehicle in 1979 was the Holden Commodore.
Star sign
The star sign for 8 February is Aquarius.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 8 February 1979 fell in the Year of the Goat.
Birthstone
The birthstone for February is Amethyst.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 8 February 1979 was Waxing Gibbous.

On this day: 8 February

  • 1960 Queen Elizabeth II issues an Order-in-Council, proclaiming the House of Windsor and declaring that her descendants will take the name Mountbatten-Windsor.
  • 1963 The regime of Prime Minister of Iraq Abd al-Karim Qasim is overthrown by the Ba'ath Party.
  • 1971 South Vietnamese ground troops launch an incursion into Laos to try to cut off the Ho Chi Minh trail and stop communist infiltration into the country.
  • 1974 The crew of Skylab 4, the last mission to visit the American space station Skylab, returns to Earth after 84 days in space.
  • 1983 A dust storm hits Melbourne, resulting in the worst drought on record and severe weather conditions in the city.

Famous people born on 8 February

  • Mary Steenburgen, American actress (born 1953)
  • James Dean, American actor (1931–1955)
  • Kathryn Newton, American actress (born 1997)
  • John Williams, American pianist, composer, and conductor (born 1932)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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

Events of 1979 in Australia

A selection from Wikipedia's '1979 in Australia'. Not a complete list.

  • 9 January – Deputy Prime Minister Doug Anthony signs a pact to allow uranium mining to begin at the Ranger Uranium Mine in the Northern Territory.
  • 9 February – Associated Securities Limited, Australia's fourth-largest finance company, is placed into receivership.
  • 9 March – The Arbitration Commission awards Australian women the right to six weeks' compulsory unpaid maternity leave with the option of extending the leave to one year.
More events of 1979 →Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Life in Australia in 1979

Prime Minister

Malcolm Fraser

Monarch

Queen Elizabeth II

Petrol (per litre)

$0.13

Loaf of Bread

$0.54

Average House

$40,000

Weekly Wage

$200.00

Or

Browse by Year

The 1940s
1940194119421943194419451946194719481949
The 1950s
1950195119521953195419551956195719581959
The 1960s
1960196119621963196419651966196719681969
The 1970s
1970197119721973197419751976197719781979
The 1980s
1980198119821983198419851986198719881989
The 1990s
1990199119921993199419951996199719981999
The 2000s
2000200120022003200420052006200720082009
The 2010s
2010201120122013201420152016201720182019
The 2020s
20202021202220232024

Famous Faces Born in the 1970s

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

Heath Ledger4 April 1979ActorView their day →Patrick Brammall30 March 1976ActorView their day →Rose Byrne24 July 1979ActressView their day →Isla Fisher3 February 1976Actress & authorView their day →Sam Worthington2 August 1976ActorView their day →Toni Collette1 November 1972Actress & musicianView their day →Joel Edgerton23 June 1974ActorView their day →Natalie Imbruglia4 February 1975Singer & actressView their day →

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 →