What happened in March 1979?
The top front-page story of each day in March 1979, as it was reported at the time. Click a date to see that day’s full front page and the matching birthday books.
- Mar 1🔭 Charged Particles Around Jupiter – Voyager 1 discovers a cloud of charged particles surrounding Jupiter, along with new low-frequency radio emissions.
- Mar 2🚀 Voyager Approaches Jupiter – Voyager 1 is closing in on Jupiter's major satellites, preparing for a significant scientific exploration.
- Mar 3🌍 OPEC Welcomes Decision – OPEC welcomed a decision by major consuming nations to reduce oil demand by 2 million barrels a day to combat rising prices.
- Mar 4🔬 Nuclear Device Approved – Twelve nations have approved plans for the world's largest experimental nuclear device, a 20-mile circumference machine near Geneva.
- Mar 5🔭 Jupiter's Moons Photographed – Voyager 1 spacecraft returns color photos of Jupiter's four largest moons, marking a significant achievement in space exploration.
- Mar 6🌍 Oil Flow From Iran Resumes – Iran resumed crude oil sales after a 69-day halt, impacting global oil markets significantly.
- Mar 7🌍 Jupiter's Moons Explored – Voyager 1 spacecraft returns first close-up images of Jupiter's moons Ganymede and Callisto, revealing their heavily cratered surfaces.
- Mar 8🌌 Jupiter's Debris Ring Found – Astronomers discovered a thin, faint ring of dark rocky debris circling Jupiter, marking a significant finding in planetary science.
- Mar 9🌋 Young Volcano Discovered – Voyager photography reveals a large, young volcanic mountain on Io, Jupiter's innermost moon, indicating its active geological state.
- Mar 10🔭 Voyager Films Jupiter – Voyager 1 captures stunning images of a vast aurora and lightning at Jupiter's North Pole during its flyby.
- Mar 11🌸 Spring's Arrival – Spring brings longer days, stimulating plant growth. Ideal for repotting houseplants as they awaken from dormancy.
- Mar 12🌍 Israel Approves Treaty Changes – The Israeli Cabinet approved revisions proposed by the U.S. for a peace treaty with Egypt after an all-night session.
- Mar 13🌋 Voyager Finds Io Alive – Voyager 1 discovers active volcanoes on Io, indicating it is more geologically active than any other explored moon.
- Mar 14🕊️ Carter's Peace Accord – President Carter announced Egyptian approval for a peace treaty with Israel, marking a significant diplomatic breakthrough.
- Mar 15🌌 Black Hole Discovery – Astronomers found a black hole in the Milky Way, five million times the Sun's mass, indicating strong gravitational pull.
- Mar 16🛰 Soviet Launches Satellites – The Soviet Union successfully launched eight satellites into orbit aboard a single rocket, marking a significant achievement in space technology.
- Mar 17🎉 St. Patrick's Parade – About 120,000 marchers are expected for the 217th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York City, celebrating Irish culture.
- Mar 18🎨 Kandinsky Exhibition Opens – An exhibition of 20 never-before-seen oils by Wassily Kandinsky from Soviet museums has opened at the Georges Pompidou Center in Paris.
- Mar 19🌊 Drilling Vessel Probes – The Glomar Challenger has drilled into a sunken island chain in the North Pacific, revealing links to today's Hawaii.
- Mar 20🏛️ Israeli Cabinet Approves Treaty – The Israeli Cabinet voted overwhelmingly to approve the terms of a draft peace treaty with Egypt.
- Mar 21🌍 Wildlife Conference Begins – Over 200 wildlife experts from 50 countries gather in Costa Rica to address the extinction crisis and decline of animal populations.
- Mar 22🖼️ Avalanches Trap 2,000 – Nearly 2,000 people are trapped by avalanches in Himachal Pradesh, India, with at least 230 believed dead.
- Mar 23🕊️ Peace Treaty Signing – The White House prepares for the signing ceremony of the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, set for March 26.
- Mar 24⚖️ Bhutto's Death Sentence Upheld – Pakistan's Supreme Court rejected an appeal to lift the death sentence against former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
- Mar 25🕊️ Historic Peace Treaty Signed – Israel and Egypt sign a peace treaty in Washington, marking a significant step towards resolving decades of conflict.
- Mar 26🎾 Noah Tennis Victor – Yannick Noah won the Nancy Grand Prix tennis tournament, defeating Jean-Louis Haillet in the final match.
- Mar 27🕊️ Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty – Egypt and Israel signed a historic peace treaty in Washington, marking a significant step towards stability in the Middle East.
- Mar 28🎶 Subway Concerts Begin – Musicians performed a subterranean concert at Columbus Circle subway station, aiming to alleviate commuter fears.
- Mar 29🌍 Radiation Released – An accident at a nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania released above-normal radiation levels into the environment.
- Mar 30☢️ Three Mile Island Incident – The Three Mile Island nuclear plant near Harrisburg, PA, experienced a significant accident, raising concerns about radiation safety levels.
- Mar 31⚠️ Three Mile Island Crisis – The Nuclear Regulatory Commission warned Congress of a potential meltdown at Three Mile Island, prompting evacuation advisories for nearby residents.
Happy Birthday! 1979 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1979 in real headlines. See the 1979 book →
Born in March? Pick the day
Every birthday in March has its own On This Day in Headlines book: