Today in History: Ranger 7 photographs the Moon

The following is a chronological list of notable events that occurred on July 31 throughout history:

781 – Oldest recorded eruption of Mount Fuji (Japan). This is traditionally dated to July 31 in Japanese records.

1498 – Christopher Columbus discovers Trinidad, naming the island “La Trinidad” on his third voyage.

1588 – Spanish Armada sighted off England, marking a key moment during the Anglo-Spanish War.

1703 – Daniel Defoe pilloried for seditious libel, though the crowd threw flowers, not stones.

1777 – Marquis de Lafayette commissioned major‑general (without pay) by the Continental Congress at age 19.

1790 – First U.S. patent issued, granted to Samuel Hopkins for a potash process (U.S. Patent Office opened).

1917 (July 31 – November 6) – Third Battle of Ypres begins, a major WWI offensive also known as Passchendaele.

1964 – Ranger 7 photographs the Moon, capturing the first close-up near-side lunar images before impact.

1971 – Apollo 15 astronauts David Scott and James Irwin drive the Lunar Roving Vehicle, becoming the first humans to operate a vehicle on the Moon.

1991 – U.S. and USSR sign START I treaty, initiating significant nuclear disarmament (though signed on July 31, comes into force later).