August 26
August 26 is the 239th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 127 days remain until the year's end. It falls in summer (northern hemisphere) and under the astrological sign of Virgo.
External references
Curated jump-off points to the major almanacs, encyclopaedias and primary sources for this date.
Astronomy
On August 26 the Sun's declination is approximately +9.6°. 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 August 26.
Position in the year
Holidays & observances
- Christian feast day: Alexander of Bergamo (Roman Catholic Church)
- Christian feast day: Blessed Ceferino Namuncurá
- Christian feast day: Jeanne-Elisabeth Bichier des Ages
- Christian feast day: Blessed John Paul I
- Christian feast day: Blessed Lavrentia Herasymiv
Events
A selection of widely-documented historical events that took place on this date. Years marked BCE follow standard astronomical convention.
2023 — Exactly 5 years after the 2018 Jacksonville Landing shooting, there is another shooting in Jacksonville, Florida, leaving 3 people dead. ↗(3 years ago)more
The 2018 Jacksonville Landing shooting, also known as the Jacksonville shooting, was a mass shooting that occurred at a video game tournament for the video game Madden NFL 19 in Jacksonville Landing, Jacksonville, Florida on August 26, 2018, at about 1:30 pm (EDT). 24-year-old David Katz fatally shot two people and injured ten others before killing himself.
2021 — During the 2021 Kabul airlift, a suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport kills 13 US military personnel and at least 169 Afghan civilians. ↗(5 years ago)more
Foreign nationals and some vulnerable Afghan citizens were airlifted from Kabul by the United States and its allies in 2021. The airlift followed the Taliban's rapid takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021 and during the final stages of the US and NATO troop withdrawal, marking the end of the 2001–2021 war in Afghanistan.
- 2018 — Three people are killed and eleven wounded during a mass shooting at a Madden NFL '19 video game tournament in Jacksonville, Florida. ↗(8 years ago)
more
The 2018 Jacksonville Landing shooting, also known as the Jacksonville shooting, was a mass shooting that occurred at a video game tournament for the video game Madden NFL 19 in Jacksonville Landing, Jacksonville, Florida on August 26, 2018, at about 1:30 pm (EDT). 24-year-old David Katz fatally shot two people and injured ten others before killing himself.
- 2015 — Two U.S. journalists are shot and killed by a disgruntled former coworker while conducting a live report in Moneta, Virginia. ↗(11 years ago)
more
On the morning of August 26, 2015, news reporter Alison Parker and photojournalist Adam Ward, both employees of CBS affiliate WDBJ in Roanoke, Virginia, United States, were fatally shot while conducting a live television interview near Smith Mountain Lake in Moneta.
2014 — The Jay Report into the Rotherham child sexual exploitation scandal is published. ↗(12 years ago)more
From the late 1980s until 2013, group-based child sexual exploitation affected an estimated 1,400 girls, commonly from care home backgrounds, in the town of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England. Between 1997 and 2013, girls were abused by grooming gangs of predominantly Pakistani men.
2011 — The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing's all-new composite airliner, receives certification from the EASA and the FAA. ↗(15 years ago)more
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, often shortened to Boeing 787, is an American wide-body airliner developed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. After dropping its unconventional Sonic Cruiser project, Boeing announced the conventional 7E7 on January 29, 2003, which focused largely on efficiency.
2009 — Kidnapping victim Jaycee Dugard is discovered alive in California after being missing for over 18 years. Her captors, Phillip and Nancy Garrido, are apprehended. ↗(17 years ago)more
On June 10, 1991, Jaycee Lee Dugard, an eleven-year-old girl, was abducted from a street while walking to a school bus stop in Meyers, California, United States. Searches began immediately after Dugard's disappearance, but no reliable leads were generated, even though several people witnessed the kidnapping.
2003 — A Beechcraft 1900 operating as Colgan Air Flight 9446 crashes after taking off from Barnstable Municipal Airport in Yarmouth, Massachusetts, killing both pilots on board. ↗(23 years ago)more
The Beechcraft 1900 is an American twin-engine turboprop regional airliner manufactured by Beechcraft. It is also used as a freight aircraft and corporate transport, and by several governmental and military organizations. With customers favoring larger regional jets, then-owner Raytheon ended production in October 2002.
1999 — Russia begins the Second Chechen War in response to the Invasion of Dagestan by the Islamic International Peacekeeping Brigade. ↗(27 years ago)more
The Second Chechen War took place in Chechnya and the border regions of the North Caucasus between the Russian Federation and the breakaway Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, from August 1999 to April 2009.
1998 — The first flight of the Boeing Delta III ends in disaster 75 seconds after liftoff, resulting in the loss of the Galaxy X communications satellite. ↗(28 years ago)more
Delta III was an expendable launch vehicle made by McDonnell Douglas. Development was canceled before the vehicle became operational. The vehicle is the third generation of the Delta rocket family, developed from the highly successful Delta II to help meet the launch demand of larger satellites.
- 1997 — Beni Ali massacre occurs in Algeria, leaving 60 to 100 people dead. ↗(29 years ago)
more
The Beni Ali massacre took place in the mountain hamlet of Beni Ali, 40 miles (64 km) south of Algiers near Chrea, on 26 August 1997. Sixty-four or 100 people were killed in a terrorist attack. Three days later came the larger Rais massacre.
1993 — Sakha Avia Flight 301 crashes on approach to Aldan Airport, killing all 24 aboard. ↗(33 years ago)more
Sakha Avia Flight 301 was a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Kutana to Aldan via Uchur in Russia. On 26 August 1993 the Let L-410 Turbolet operating the flight crashed on approach to Aldan Airport, killing all 24 people on board. It is the deadliest aviation disaster involving the Let L-410 Turbolet.
Notable births
2002 — Lil Tecca, American rapper ↗(24 years ago)more
Tyler-Justin Anthony Sharpe, known professionally as Lil Tecca, is an American rapper. Lil Tecca rose to mainstream prominence with the release of the 2019 single "Ransom", which peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100.
2001 — Patrick Williams, American basketball player ↗(25 years ago)more
Patrick Lee Williams is an American professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Florida State Seminoles. He was the fourth pick in the 2020 NBA draft.
2000 — Kyren Williams, American football player ↗(26 years ago)more
Kyren Lawrence Williams is an American professional football running back for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and was selected by the Rams in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL draft.
- 1999 — Naz Reid, American basketball player ↗(27 years ago)
more
Nazreon Hilton Reid is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the LSU Tigers. Reid won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award in 2024. He recently signed a three-year $42 million contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
1999 — Kotoshoho Yoshinari, Japanese sumo wrestler ↗(27 years ago)more
Kotoshōhō Yoshinari is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Kashiwa, Chiba. He made his debut in November 2017 and reached the top makuuchi division in May 2020. He wrestles for Sadogatake stable. His highest rank has been sekiwake.
1998 — Charlie Gillespie, Canadian actor and singer ↗(28 years ago)more
Charles Gillespie is a Canadian actor and singer. He is best known for his role as Luke Patterson in the Netflix series Julie and the Phantoms (2020).
Notable deaths
2024 — Sven-Göran Eriksson, Swedish footballer and manager (born 1948) ↗(2 years ago)more
Sven-Göran Eriksson was a Swedish football player and manager. After a playing career as a right-back, Eriksson went on to experience major success in club management between 1977 and 2001, winning 18 trophies with a variety of league clubs in Sweden, Portugal, and Italy.
2024 — Sid Eudy, American actor and professional wrestler (born 1960) ↗(2 years ago)more
Sidney Raymond Eudy was an American professional wrestler, best known for his tenures in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) under the ring names Sid Justice, Sid Vicious, and Sycho Sid. He was a two-time WWF Champion and two-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion.
2023 — Bob Barker, American television game show host (born 1923) ↗(3 years ago)more
Robert William Barker was an American media personality, game show host, and animal rights advocate. He hosted CBS's The Price Is Right, the longest-running game show in North American television history, from 1972 to 2007. Barker also hosted Truth or Consequences from 1956 to 1975.
2020 — Joe Ruby, American animator (born 1933) ↗(6 years ago)more
Joseph Clemens Ruby was an American animator, writer, television producer, and music editor. He was best known as a co-creator of the animated Scooby-Doo franchise, together with Ken Spears. In 1977, they co-founded the television animation production company Ruby-Spears Productions.
2018 — Neil Simon, American playwright and author (born 1927) ↗(8 years ago)more
Marvin Neil Simon was an American playwright, screenwriter and author. He wrote more than 30 plays and nearly the same number of movie screenplays, mostly film adaptations of his plays. He received three Tony Awards and a Golden Globe Award, as well as nominations for four Academy Awards and four Primetime Emmy Awards.
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (239) | 239 · prime |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (127) | 127 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 26082026 · no palindrome in next 200 years |
| Sun declination | +9.60° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 67 days |