Astronomers announced the discovery of Eris, a new dwarf planet in our solar system.

English actor, David Niven, died at the age of 72. He was one of the most popular British actors of his time who also served in the Second World War with the British Commandos and also was among the British forces that landed at Normandy.

Charles, Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer were married in St Paul's Cathedral.

American actor, Stephen Dorff, was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He is most known for his part as the evil vampire Deacon Frost in the hit horror film Blade.

The American, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), was established by the Congress of the United States.

The International Atomic Energy Agency was established.

The 14th modern Olympic Games opened in London, England. These were the first games to be held in 12 years, due to the Second World War. The previous games had been the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.

British actor, David Warner, was born in Manchester.

Adolf Hitler assumed the leadership of the National Socialist German Workers Party.

King Umberto I of Italy was assassinated by anarchist Gaetano Bresci.

Dutch painter, Vincent van Gogh, died at the age of 37. He was a post-Impressionist painter who is widely considered as one of the greatest painters of all time. He suffered from a severe mental illness which led him to once cut off his own left ear and eventually drove him to committing suicide.

Italian dictator, Benito Mussolini, was born in Emilia-Romagna. He ruled Italy between 1922 and 1944 under a strict nationalistic fascist regime who later became a close ally of German dictator Adolf Hitler.