German astronomer Gottfried Kirch discovered the Great Comet of 1680, the first comet sighted using a telescope.
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NASA's Mariner 9 became the first spacecraft to orbit another planet when it entered Mars' orbit.
Dr. Fritz Derom performed a successful single-lung transplantation on patient Aloïs Vereecken at the University Hospital in Ghent, Belgium.
The British Broadcasting Company (BBC) began its radio service in the United Kingdom.
The musical 'Chicago' opened at Richard Rodgers Theater in New York City.
The discovery of an Earth-like planet 3.2 times bigger than our world was announced.