April 27
April 27 is the 118th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 248 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 27 the Sun's declination is approximately +13.9°. 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 27.
Position in the year
Holidays & observances
- Freedom Day (South Africa, marking the first post-apartheid election)
- King's Day (Netherlands, since 2014)
Events
A selection of widely-documented historical events that took place on this date. Years marked BCE follow standard astronomical convention.
- 1521 — Ferdinand Magellan was killed by Lapulapu's forces in the Battle of Mactan in the Philippines. ↗(505 years ago)
more
The Battle of Mactan was fought on a beach in Mactan Island between Spanish forces led by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan along with local allies, and Lapulapu, the chieftain of the island, on the early morning of April 27, 1521.
1810 — Beethoven composed Für Elise. ↗(216 years ago)more
Bagatelle No. 25 in A minor for solo piano, commonly known as "Für Elise", is one of Ludwig van Beethoven's most popular compositions. It was not published during his lifetime but discovered 40 years after his death, and may be termed either a Bagatelle or an Albumblatt.
1865 — The riverboat Sultana exploded on the Mississippi River, killing some 1,800 — the worst maritime disaster in U.S. history. ↗(161 years ago)more
Sultana was a commercial side-wheel steamboat which exploded and sank on the Mississippi River on April 27, 1865, killing 1,164 people in what remains the worst maritime disaster in United States history.
1994 — Nelson Mandela was elected President of South Africa in the country's first multiracial elections. ↗(32 years ago)more
General elections were held in South Africa between 26 and 29 April 1994. The elections were the first in South Africa in which citizens of all races could vote, bringing an end to the herrenvolk democracy that had existed since the 1950s and marking the country's first election under universal suffrage.
Notable births
1791 — Samuel Morse, American inventor (telegraph). ↗(235 years ago)more
Samuel Finley Breese Morse was an American inventor and painter. After establishing his reputation as a portrait painter, Morse, in his middle age, contributed to the invention of a single-wire telegraph system based on European telegraphs. He was a co-developer and the namesake of Morse code in 1837 and helped to develop the commercial use of telegraphy.
1822 — Ulysses S. Grant, Union general and 18th U.S. President. ↗(204 years ago)more
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th president of the United States, serving from 1869 to 1877. He previously led the Union Army to victory in the American Civil War in 1865 as commanding general.
Notable deaths
1521 — Ferdinand Magellan. ↗(505 years ago)more
Ferdinand Magellan was a Portuguese explorer best known for planning and leading the 1519–1522 Spanish expedition to the East Indies. During this expedition, he discovered the Strait of Magellan, performed the first European crossing of the Pacific Ocean, and made the first known European contact with the Philippines.
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (118) | 2 × 59 · composite (no) |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (248) | 2^3 × 31 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 27042026 · no palindrome in next 200 years |
| Sun declination | +13.94° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 54 days |