Government
Orders economic sanctions against Libya in retaliation for involvement in terrorism
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1986 in United States of America
Explore 95 historical events and records for United States of America in 1986.
Historical records for United States of America in 1986
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 95 unique records.
95Unique records
1 of 3Page
27Named events on this page
23Named people on this page
10Places on this page
January
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Chuck Berry is inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
James Brown is inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Ray Charles is inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Sam Cooke is inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Fats Domino is inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Buddy Holly is inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Jerry Lee Lewis is inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Elvis Presley is inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Little Richard is inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Ariel Geological Features
Voyager 2 images show Ariel crossed by valleys, faults and relatively young-looking terrain.
Miranda Close-Up Imaging
Voyager 2 returns unprecedented close images of Miranda during the Uranus encounter.
Miranda Coronae
Voyager images reveal large coronae and disrupted terrain across Miranda's unusual surface.
Oberon Cratered Surface
Voyager 2 photographs Oberon's heavily cratered terrain and prominent tectonic features.
Titania Fault Valleys
Voyager 2 images reveal large fault valleys and impact structures across Titania.
Two New Uranian Rings
Voyager 2 observations reveal two additional rings and new detail in the existing ring system.
Umbriel Dark Surface
Voyager 2 imagery confirms Umbriel's dark, heavily cratered surface and bright-ringed features.
Uranus Atmosphere
Studies Voyager measurements of Uranus's cold and subdued atmosphere.
Uranus Imaging
Leads Voyager imaging work during the Uranus encounter.
Uranus Infrared Observations
Works with Voyager infrared data used to study temperatures and atmospheric properties in the Uranian system.
Uranus Infrared Temperatures
Voyager infrared measurements characterize temperatures in the Uranian atmosphere and satellite system.
Uranus Magnetic Field
Finds Uranus has an unusually tilted and offset magnetic field.
Uranus Magnetic Field Tilt
Voyager 2 magnetometer data reveal a strongly tilted and offset Uranian magnetic field.
Uranus Wind Speeds
Voyager observations measure substantial atmospheric winds despite Uranus's subdued visible appearance.
Voyager 2 Uranus Flyby
Voyager 2 makes the only spacecraft flyby of Uranus and its moons.
Death of Christa McAuliffe
Death of Christa McAuliffe, on Challenger when it explodes 74 seconds after lift-off
Ten New Uranian Moons
Voyager 2 observations reveal ten previously unknown moons orbiting Uranus.
Uranian Shepherd Moons
Voyager imagery identifies small moons associated with the confinement of Uranus's narrow rings.
Uranus Rotation Period
Voyager radio and magnetic measurements establish a rotation period of about seventeen hours for Uranus.
February
Neptune Targeting Maneuver
Voyager 2 performs a major trajectory correction after Uranus to target its future Neptune encounter.
March
Military Aid
The Contra Aid Bill for $300 million for Nicaraguan rebels is rejected by Congress
Government
Libyan missiles are fired at US aircraftin the Gulf of Sirte
Government
$20 million in military aid to Honduras is approved by Congress
April
Government
A bomb kills 2 US servicemen in West Berlin, Libyan involvement is suspected
Government
Requests permission from Margaret Thatcher to use US aircraft in Britain to bomb Libya
Mayor Election
Wins election as mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California.
Government
Carried out by 16 F1-11s based in the UK on 5 terrorist targets. A US air strike is launched against Libya in retaliation for its acts of terrorism
Death of Wallis Simpson
Death of Wallis Simpson
June
Live to Tell
Madonnas "Live to Tell," single goes #1
July
Knocked Out Loaded
Releases Knocked Out Loaded.
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.