* Astronomy

Prohibition began on January 17, 1920, when the Eighteenth Amendment went into effect.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohibition_in_the_United_States

Robert Falcon Scott and four companions arrived at the South Pole on 17th January 1912
http://astronomy.activeboard.com/t49471495/robert-falcon-scott-cvo-1868-1912/

The 1966 Palomares B-52 crash or Palomares incident occurred on January 17, 1966
http://astronomy.activeboard.com/t41759823/the-1966-palomares-b-52-crash/

The Northridge earthquake was a massive earthquake that occurred on January 17, 1994
http://astronomy.activeboard.com/t47332428/1994-northridge-earthquake/

Kyrill was a low pressure area that formed over Newfoundland on 15 January 2007
http://astronomy.activeboard.com/t47332434/kyrill-storm-2007/

Daniel Charles Brandenstein (born January 17, 1943) is a former Naval Aviator and NASA astronaut
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Brandenstein

James Earl Jones (born January 17, 1931) is an American actor
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Earl_Jones

Elisabeth Catherina Koopmann Hevelius (in Polish also called Elbieta Heweliusz) (17 January 1647 - 22 December 1693) is considered one of the first female astronomers, and called "the mother of moon charts". She was also the second wife of fellow astronomer Johannes Hevelius.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisabeth_Hevelius

Anton Karl Thraen (17 January 1843 - 18 February 1902) was a German astronomer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton_Thraen

Sir Ralph Howard Fowler (17 January 1889 - 28 July 1944) was a British physicist and astronomer.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_H._Fowler

Sir James Hall of Dunglass (January 17, 1761 - June 23, 1832) was a Scottish geologist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_James_Hall,_4th_Baronet

Harvey Harlow Nininger (1887-1986) was an American meteorite collector
http://astronomy.activeboard.com/t32283131/harvey-nininger/

NGC 841 was discovered by William Herschel on the 17th January 1787.
http://astronomy.activeboard.com/t56291377/ngc-841/

NGC 1907 was discovered by William Herschel using on the 17th January 1787.
http://astronomy.activeboard.com/t56291405/ngc-1907/

NGC 2149 was discovered by Edouard Stephan on the 17th January 1877.
http://astronomy.activeboard.com/t56291424/ngc-2149/

NGC 2337 was discovered by Edouard Stephan on the 17th January 1877.
http://astronomy.activeboard.com/t56291435/ngc-2337/

NGC 2392 was discovered by William Herschel on the 17th January 1787.
http://astronomy.activeboard.com/t25472344/ngc-2392/