April 20
April 20 is the 111th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 255 days remain until the year's end. It falls in spring (northern hemisphere) and under the astrological sign of Taurus.
External references
Curated jump-off points to the major almanacs, encyclopaedias and primary sources for this date.
Astronomy
On April 20 the Sun's declination is approximately +11.6°. 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 20.
Position in the year
Holidays & observances
No widely-observed holidays catalogued for this day in our base set. See the external almanacs above for region-specific observances.
Events
A selection of widely-documented historical events that took place on this date. Years marked BCE follow standard astronomical convention.
1535 — Sun-dog phenomenon over Stockholm: a parhelion display was painted as the famous Vädersolstavlan. ↗(491 years ago)more
Vädersolstavlan is an oil-on-panel painting depicting a halo display, an atmospheric optical phenomenon, observed over Stockholm on 20 April 1535. It is named after the sun dogs appearing on the upper right part of the painting.
1862 — Louis Pasteur and Claude Bernard completed the first test of the pasteurisation process. ↗(164 years ago)more
In food processing, pasteurization (-isation) is a process of food preservation in which packaged foods are treated with mild heat, usually to less than 100 °C (212 °F), to eliminate pathogens and extend shelf life.
1889 — Adolf Hitler was born in Braunau am Inn, Austria-Hungary. ↗(137 years ago)more
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Germany during the Nazi era from 1933 until his suicide in 1945. He rose to power as the leader of the Nazi Party, becoming the chancellor of Germany in 1933 and then taking the title of Führer und Reichskanzler in 1934.
1999 — Two students at Columbine High School in Colorado killed 12 students and a teacher before taking their own lives. ↗(27 years ago)more
On April 20, 1999, twelfth-grade students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold murdered 13 students and 1 teacher in a school shooting and attempted bombing at Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado, United States. Twenty people were injured by the gunfire, and three others were injured while trying to escape.
2010 — The Deepwater Horizon offshore oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, beginning the largest accidental marine oil spill in history. ↗(16 years ago)more
On April 20, 2010, an explosion and fire occurred on the Deepwater Horizon semi-submersible mobile offshore drilling unit, which was owned and operated by Transocean and drilling for BP in the Macondo Prospect oil field about 40 miles (64 km) southeast off the Louisiana coast.
Notable births
1808 — Napoleon III, Emperor of the French. ↗(218 years ago)more
Napoleon III was President of France from 1848 to 1852 and then Emperor of the French from 1852 until his deposition in 1870. He was the first president, second emperor, and last monarch of France. He created the Second French Empire in 1852, and this period saw rapid industrialization in France, rapid expansion of infrastructure and rise of French influe...
1893 — Joan Miró, Spanish painter. ↗(133 years ago)more
Joan Miró i Ferrà was a Catalan painter, sculptor and ceramist from Spain. A museum dedicated to his work, the Fundació Joan Miró, was established in his native city of Barcelona in 1975, and another, the Fundació Pilar i Joan Miró, was established in his adoptive city of Palma, Mallorca in 1981. Earning international acclaim, his work has been interprete...
1949 — Jessica Lange, American actress. ↗(77 years ago)more
Jessica Phyllis Lange is an American actress and photographer. With a career spanning over five decades, she is known for her roles on stage and screen. Her accolades include two Academy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Tony Award, in addition to nominations for a BAFTA Award and a Laurence Olivier Award.
Notable deaths
1912 — Bram Stoker, Irish author (Dracula). ↗(114 years ago)more
Abraham Stoker was an Irish writer, barrister, and theatre manager. He was the author of Dracula (1897) and the creator of the fictional character Count Dracula. The novel and its antagonist are milestones in the fields of Gothic and vampire literature.
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (111) | 3 × 37 · composite (no) |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (255) | 3 × 5 × 17 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 20042026 · no palindrome in next 200 years |
| Sun declination | +11.57° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 61 days |