April 12
April 12 is the 103rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 263 days remain until the year's end. It falls in spring (northern hemisphere) and under the astrological sign of Aries.
External references
Curated jump-off points to the major almanacs, encyclopaedias and primary sources for this date.
Astronomy
On April 12 the Sun's declination is approximately +8.7°. At this latitude the Sun is north of the celestial equator, giving the Northern Hemisphere longer days than nights.
For specific rise/set times at your location, see the U.S. Naval Observatory, or the NASA APOD archive for any imagery published on a April 12.
Position in the year
Holidays & observances
- International Day of Human Space Flight (UN — Yuri's Night)
Events
A selection of widely-documented historical events that took place on this date. Years marked BCE follow standard astronomical convention.
1861 — American Civil War began with Confederate forces firing on Fort Sumter, South Carolina. ↗(165 years ago)more
The Battle of Fort Sumter was the bombardment of Fort Sumter near Charleston, South Carolina, by the South Carolina militia. It ended with the surrender of the fort by the United States Army, beginning the American Civil War.
1945 — U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt died of a cerebral haemorrhage; Harry S. Truman became president. ↗(81 years ago)more
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, also known as FDR, was the 32nd president of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He is the longest-serving US president and the only one to have served more than two terms.
1955 — Jonas Salk's polio vaccine was declared safe and effective. ↗(71 years ago)more
Polio vaccine is a vaccine used to prevent poliomyelitis (polio). Two types are used: an inactivated poliovirus given by injection (IPV) and a weakened poliovirus given by mouth (OPV). The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends all children be fully vaccinated against polio.
1961 — Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to fly in space and orbit the Earth, aboard Vostok 1. ↗(65 years ago)more
Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin was a Soviet pilot and cosmonaut who, aboard the first successful crewed spaceflight, became the first person to journey into outer space. Travelling on Vostok 1, Gagarin completed one orbit of Earth on 12 April 1961, with his flight taking 108 minutes.
1981 — The Space Shuttle Columbia made its maiden flight (STS-1). ↗(45 years ago)more
STS-1 was the first orbital spaceflight of NASA's Space Shuttle program. The first orbiter, Columbia, launched on April 12, 1981, and returned on April 14, 1981, 54.5 hours later, having orbited the Earth 37 times. Columbia carried a crew of two—commander John W. Young and pilot Robert L. Crippen.
Notable births
1916 — Beverly Cleary, American children's author. ↗(110 years ago)more
Beverly Atlee Cleary was an American writer of children's and young adult fiction. She was one of America's most successful authors: 91 million copies of her books have been sold worldwide since her first book was published in 1950. Some of her best known characters are Ramona Quimby and Beezus Quimby, Henry Huggins and his dog Ribsy, and Ralph S. Mouse.
1947 — David Letterman, American TV host. ↗(79 years ago)more
David Michael Letterman is an American television host, comedian, writer, producer, and auto racing team owner. He hosted late-night television talk shows for 33 years, beginning with the February 1, 1982, debut of Late Night with David Letterman on NBC and ending with the May 20, 2015, broadcast of Late Show with David Letterman on CBS.
Notable deaths
- 1945 — Franklin D. Roosevelt. ↗(81 years ago)
more
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, also known as FDR, was the 32nd president of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He is the longest-serving US president and the only one to have served more than two terms.
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (103) | 103 · prime |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (263) | 263 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 12042026 · no palindrome in next 200 years |
| Sun declination | +8.67° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 69 days |