WHAT ALL HAPPENED FEBRUARY TO SEPTEMBER 1997
Find out what all happened February to September 1997

NASA's Pathfinder space probe lands on the surface of Mars. (4. July 1997)

GRB 970228, a highly luminous flash of gamma rays, strikes the Earth for 80 seconds, providing early evidence that gamma-ray bursts occur well beyond the Milky Way. (28. February 1997)

The tail of a Russian Antonov An-24 charter plane broke off while en route to Turkey causing the plane to crash and killing all 50 people on board and leading to the grounding of all An-24s. (18. March 1997)

Haouch Khemisti massacre in Algeria – 93 villagers killed. (22. April 1997)

United States media magnate Ted Turner donates USD 1 billion to the United Nations. (18. September 1997)

Deep Blue, a chess-playing supercomputer, defeats Garry Kasparov in the last game of the rematch, becoming the first computer to beat a world-champion chess player in a classic match format. (11. May 1997)

Diana, Princess of Wales, her companion Dodi Fayed and driver Henri Paul die in a car crash in Paris. (31. August 1997)

The Maeslantkering, a storm surge barrier in the Netherlands that is one of the world's largest moving structures, is opened by Queen Beatrix. (10. May 1997)

A China Southern Airlines Boeing 737 crashes on approach into Bao'an International Airport, killing 35 people. (8. May 1997)

After at first contesting the results, Serbian President Slobodan Milošević recognizes opposition victories in the November 1996 elections. (4. February 1997)

The second Blue Water Bridge opens between Port Huron, Michigan and Sarnia, Ontario. (22. July 1997)

The fully restored USS Constitution (aka Old Ironsides) celebrates its 200th birthday by setting sail for the first time in 116 years. (20. July 1997)

The Thalit massacre begins in Algeria; all but 1 of the 53 inhabitants of Thalit are killed by guerrillas. (3. April 1997)

Beni-Ali massacre in Algeria; 60-100 people killed. (26. August 1997)

The Chemical Weapons Convention of 1993 enters into force, outlawing the production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons by its signatories. (29. April 1997)

The Red River Flood of 1997 overwhelms the city of Grand Forks, North Dakota. Fire breaks out and spreads in downtown Grand Forks, but high water levels hamper efforts to reach the fire, leading to the destruction of 11 buildings. (19. April 1997)

An unmanned Progress spacecraft collides with the Russian space station Mir. (25. June 1997)

Digital Equipment Corporation files antitrust charges against chipmaker Intel. (23. July 1997)

Comet Hale–Bopp: Observers in China, Mongolia and eastern Siberia are treated to a rare double feature as an eclipse permits Hale-Bopp to be seen during the day. (9. March 1997)

A jury sentences Timothy McVeigh to death for his part in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. (13. June 1997)