April 2
April 2 is the 93rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 273 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 2 the Sun's declination is approximately +4.8°. 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 2.
Position in the year
Holidays & observances
- World Autism Awareness Day (UN)
- International Children's Book Day
Events
A selection of widely-documented historical events that took place on this date. Years marked BCE follow standard astronomical convention.
1513 — Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León first sighted Florida. ↗(513 years ago)more
Juan Ponce de León was a Spanish explorer and conquistador known for leading the first European expeditions to Puerto Rico in 1508 and Florida in 1513. He was born in Santervás de Campos, Valladolid, Spain, in 1474. Though little is known about his family, he was of noble birth and served in the Spanish military from a young age.
1792 — The U.S. Coinage Act was passed, establishing the U.S. Mint. ↗(234 years ago)more
The Coinage Act of 1792, passed by the United States Congress on April 2, 1792, created the United States dollar as the country's standard unit of money, established the United States Mint, and regulated the coinage of the United States.
1917 — U.S. President Woodrow Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany. ↗(109 years ago)more
The United States entered into World War I on 6 April 1917, more than two and a half years after the war began in Austria-Hungary. Apart from an Anglophile element urging early support for the British and an anti-tsarist element sympathizing with Germany's war against Russia, American public opinion had generally reflected a desire to stay out of the war.
1982 — Argentine forces invaded the Falkland Islands, beginning the Falklands War. ↗(44 years ago)more
The Falklands War was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British Overseas Territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and its territorial dependency, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.
Notable births
1725 — Giacomo Casanova, Italian adventurer. ↗(301 years ago)more
Giacomo Girolamo Casanova was an Italian adventurer and writer who was born in the Republic of Venice and travelled extensively throughout Europe. He is chiefly remembered for his autobiography, written in French and published posthumously as Histoire de ma vie.
1805 — Hans Christian Andersen, Danish author of fairy tales. ↗(221 years ago)more
Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author. Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogues, novels, and poems, he is best remembered for his literary fairy tales.
1939 — Marvin Gaye, American singer. ↗(87 years ago)more
Marvin Pentz Gaye Jr. was an American R&B and soul singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. Commonly referred to as the "Prince of Motown" and "Prince of Soul", he helped to shape the sound of Motown and soul music in the 1960s and 1970s. A cultural icon, Gaye is often considered one of the greatest singers and songwriters of all time.
Notable deaths
2005 — Pope John Paul II. ↗(21 years ago)more
Pope John Paul II was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death in 2005. He was the first non-Italian pope since Adrian VI in the 16th century, as well as the third-longest-serving pope in history, after St. Peter and Pius IX.
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (93) | 3 × 31 · composite (no) |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (273) | 3 × 7 × 13 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 02042026 · no palindrome in next 200 years |
| Sun declination | +4.81° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 79 days |