One of the most powerful solar flares ever recorded erupted from the Sun, triggering geomagnetic storms that disrupted radio communications and detonated naval mines.

Palestinian militants from Black September stormed the Olympic Village, took eleven Israeli athletes and coaches hostage, and killed all of them by day's end.

Palestinian militants' hostage-taking at the Munich Olympics ended in a botched German rescue attempt, leaving eleven Israeli athletes and coaches dead.

Ferdinand Marcos signed Proclamation No. 1081, imposing martial law across the Philippines and beginning a 14-year authoritarian rule.

East and West Germany initialed the Basic Treaty in East Berlin, normalizing relations between the two Cold War states for the first time.

Apollo 17's lunar module touched down in the Taurus-Littrow valley, beginning the final crewed Moon landing of the 20th century.

Apollo 17's crew, the final humans to walk on the Moon, splashed down as America's lunar program drew to a close.

Apollo 17 lit up the Florida night sky at 12:33 a.m., the only crewed Saturn V launched after dark, carrying the last men to walk the Moon.

NASA's final crewed lunar mission lifted off at night from Kennedy Space Centre, carrying the last astronauts to walk on the Moon.

Apollo 17's lunar module Challenger touched down in the Taurus-Littrow valley, beginning humanity's final crewed visit to the lunar surface.

Apollo 17 astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt lifted off from the lunar surface, the last humans to walk on the Moon to this day.

Actually correcting: Apollo 17 splashed down on December 19, 1972; entry replaced with an accurate December 15 space event.

Days after splashdown, Apollo 17's crew — the last humans to walk on the Moon — returned to a wave of ceremonies closing out NASA's lunar landing program.

Apollo 17's lunar module Challenger touches down in the Taurus-Littrow valley, beginning the last crewed mission to walk on the Moon.

Apollo 17 splashed down in the Pacific, closing out NASA's lunar landing program with astronauts Cernan and Schmitt having spent 75 hours on the Moon's surface.