April 8
April 8 is the 99th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 267 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 8 the Sun's declination is approximately +7.1°. 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 8.
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.
217 BCE — Carthaginian forces under Hannibal defeated Rome at the Battle of Lake Trasimene. ↗(2243 years ago)more
The Battle of Lake Trasimene was fought when a Carthaginian force under Hannibal ambushed a Roman army commanded by Gaius Flaminius on 21 June 217 BC, during the Second Punic War. The battle took place on the north shore of Lake Trasimene, to the south of Cortona, and resulted in a heavy defeat for the Romans.
1820 — The Venus de Milo was discovered on the Aegean island of Milos. ↗(206 years ago)more
The Venus de Milo or Aphrodite of Melos is an ancient Greek marble sculpture that was created during the Hellenistic period. Its exact dating is uncertain, but the modern consensus places it in the 2nd century BC, perhaps between 160 and 110 BC. It was discovered in 1820 on the island of Milos, Greece, and has been displayed at the Louvre Museum since 1821.
1913 — The Seventeenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, providing for direct election of senators, was ratified. ↗(113 years ago)more
The Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution established the direct election of United States senators in each state. The amendment supersedes Article I, Section 3, Clauses 1 and 2 of the Constitution, under which senators were appointed by state legislatures.
1974 — American baseball player Hank Aaron hit his 715th career home run, breaking Babe Ruth's record. ↗(52 years ago)more
Henry Louis Aaron, nicknamed "Hammer" or "Hammerin' Hank", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1954 through 1976. Considered one of the greatest baseball players in history, he spent 21 seasons with the Milwaukee / Atlanta Braves in the National League (NL) and two seasons with the...
Notable births
1929 — Jacques Brel, Belgian singer-songwriter. ↗(97 years ago)more
Jacques Romain Georges Brel was a Belgian singer and actor who composed and performed theatrical songs. He generated a large, devoted following—initially in Belgium and France, but later throughout the world. He is considered a master of the modern chanson.
1938 — Kofi Annan, Ghanaian diplomat and 7th UN Secretary-General. ↗(88 years ago)more
Kofi Atta Annan was a Ghanaian diplomat and statesman who served as the seventh secretary-general of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006. Annan and the UN were the co-recipients of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize.
Notable deaths
1973 — Pablo Picasso, Spanish painter. ↗(53 years ago)more
Pablo Ruiz Picasso was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, and theatre designer who spent most of his adult life in France. One of the most influential artists of the 20th century, he is known for co-founding the Cubist movement, the invention of constructed sculpture, the co-invention of collage, and for the wide variety of styles that h...
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (99) | 3^2 × 11 · composite (no) |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (267) | 3 × 89 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 08042026 · no palindrome in next 200 years |
| Sun declination | +7.15° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 73 days |