August 4
August 4 is the 217th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 149 days remain until the year's end. It falls in summer (northern hemisphere) and under the astrological sign of Leo.
External references
Curated jump-off points to the major almanacs, encyclopaedias and primary sources for this date.
Astronomy
On August 4 the Sun's declination is approximately +16.8°. 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 August 4.
Position in the year
Holidays & observances
- Christian feast day: Aristarchus
- Christian feast day: Euphronius
- Christian feast day: Blessed Frédéric Janssoone
- Christian feast day: John Vianney
- Christian feast day: Molua (or Lua)
Events
A selection of widely-documented historical events that took place on this date. Years marked BCE follow standard astronomical convention.
2020 — Beirut Port explosion: At least 220 people are killed and over 5,000 are wounded when 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate explodes in Beirut, Lebanon. ↗(6 years ago)more
On 4 August 2020, a major explosion occurred in Beirut, Lebanon, triggered by the ignition of 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate. The chemical, confiscated in 2014 from the cargo ship MV Rhosus and stored at the Port of Beirut without adequate safety measures for six years, detonated after a fire broke out in a nearby warehouse.
2019 — Nine people are killed and 26 injured in a shooting in Dayton, Ohio. This comes only 13 hours after another mass shooting in El Paso, Texas, where 23 people were killed. ↗(7 years ago)more
On August 4, 2019, 24-year-old Connor Betts shot and killed nine people, including his brother, and wounded 17 others near the entrance of the Ned Peppers Bar in the Oregon Historic District of Dayton, Ohio, United States. Betts was fatally shot by responding police officers 32 seconds after the first shots were fired.
2018 — Syrian civil war: The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) expel the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) from the Iraq–Syria border, concluding the second phase of the Deir ez-Zor campaign. ↗(8 years ago)more
The Syrian Civil War was an armed conflict that began with the Syrian revolution in March 2011, when popular discontent with the Ba'athist regime ruled by Bashar al-Assad triggered large-scale protests and pro-democracy rallies across Syria, as part of the wider Arab Spring.
2018 — Crisis in Venezuela: Seven people are injured when two drones detonate explosives on Avenida Bolívar, Caracas while president Nicolás Maduro is giving a speech to the Venezuelan National Guard. ↗(8 years ago)more
An ongoing socioeconomic and political crisis began in Venezuela during the presidency of Hugo Chávez and has worsened during the presidency of successor Nicolás Maduro. It has been marked by hyperinflation, escalating starvation, disease, crime, and mortality rates, resulting in massive emigration.
2007 — NASA's Phoenix Mars lander is launched. ↗(19 years ago)more
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government responsible for the United States' civil space program and for research in aeronautics and space. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., NASA operates ten field centers across the U.S.
- 2006 — A massacre is carried out by Sri Lankan government forces, killing 17 employees of the French INGO Action Against Hunger (known internationally as Action Contre la Faim, or ACF). ↗(20 years ago)
more
On 4 or 5 August 2006, 17 employees of the French INGO Action Against Hunger were shot at close range in the city of Muttur, Sri Lanka, close to Trincomalee. The victims included 16 minority Sri Lankan Tamils and one Sri Lankan Muslim. The event became known as the Muttur Massacre.
1995 — Operation Storm, the last major battle of the Croatian War of Independence begins. ↗(31 years ago)more
Operation Storm was the last major battle of the Croatian War of Independence and a major factor in the outcome of the Bosnian War. It was a decisive victory for the Croatian Army (HV), which attacked across a 630-kilometre (390 mi) front against the self-declared proto-state Republic of Serbian Krajina (RSK), and a strategic victory for the Army of the R...
1987 — The Federal Communications Commission rescinds the Fairness Doctrine which had required radio and television stations to give equal time to opposing views. ↗(39 years ago)more
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an agency of the United States federal government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, internet, Wi-Fi, satellite, and cable across the United States.
1984 — The Republic of Upper Volta changes its name to Burkina Faso. ↗(42 years ago)more
The Republic of Upper Volta was a landlocked West African country established on 11 December 1958 as a self-governing state within the French Community. Before becoming autonomous, it had been part of the French Union as the French Upper Volta. On 5 August 1960, it gained full independence from France. On 4 August 1984, it changed its name to Burkina Faso.
1983 — Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo, president of the military government of Upper Volta, is ousted from power in a coup d'état led by Captain Thomas Sankara. ↗(43 years ago)more
Jean-Baptiste Philippe Ouédraogo, also referred to by his initials JBO, is a Burkinabé physician and retired military officer who served as President of Upper Volta from 8 November 1982 to 4 August 1983. He has since mediated a few national political disputes and operates a clinic in Somgandé.
1977 — U.S. President Jimmy Carter signs legislation creating the United States Department of Energy. ↗(49 years ago)more
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces.
1975 — The Japanese Red Army takes more than 50 hostages at the AIA Building housing several embassies in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The hostages include the U.S. consul and the Swedish Chargé d'affaires. The gunmen win the release of five imprisoned comrades and fly with them to Libya. ↗(51 years ago)more
The Japanese Red Army was a far-left militant organization active from 1971 to 2001. The JRA was founded by Fusako Shigenobu and Tsuyoshi Okudaira in February 1971, and was most active in the 1970s and 1980s, operating mostly out of Lebanon with PFLP collaboration and funding from Muammar Gaddafi's Libya, as well as Ba'athist Syria and North Korea.
Notable births
1998 — Lil Skies, American rapper ↗(28 years ago)more
Kimetrius Christopher Foose, known by his stage name Lil Skies, is an American rapper and singer from Waynesboro, Pennsylvania. He signed with Atlantic Records in 2017 to release the singles "I", "Nowadays", and "Red Roses." The songs peaked at numbers 39, 55, and 69 on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively.
1995 — Bruna Marquezine, Brazilian actress ↗(31 years ago)more
Bruna Reis Maia, known professionally as Bruna Marquezine, is a Brazilian actress, filmmaker, and model. She debuted on television in 2000 as one of the children interviewers for the children's program Gente Inocente. She has been part of the cast of several telenovelas.
1994 — Bobby Shmurda, American rapper ↗(32 years ago)more
Ackquille Jean Pollard, known professionally as Bobby Shmurda, is an American rapper and songwriter. Along with Rowdy Rebel, Shmurda is considered a pioneer of Brooklyn drill music. He rose to international fame in 2014 when his single "Hot Nigga" peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100.
1992 — Domingo Germán, Dominican baseball player ↗(34 years ago)more
Domingo Germán Polanco is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Toros de Tijuana of the Mexican League. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates.
1992 — Cole Sprouse, American actor ↗(34 years ago)more
Cole Mitchell Sprouse is an American actor. He is known for his role as Cody Martin on the Disney Channel series The Suite Life of Zack & Cody (2005–2008), and its spin-off series The Suite Life on Deck (2008–2011), and his role as Jughead Jones on The CW television series Riverdale (2017–2023).
Notable deaths
2024 — Charles Cyphers, American actor (born 1939) ↗(2 years ago)more
Charles George Cyphers was an American actor who is known in the horror movie community for his work in the films of John Carpenter, especially his role as Sheriff Leigh Brackett in Carpenter's 1978 movie Halloween. He reprised this role in the 1981 sequel Halloween II and the 2021 sequel Halloween Kills.
2024 — Tsung-Dao Lee, Chinese-American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1926) ↗(2 years ago)more
Tsung-Dao Lee was a Chinese-American physicist known for his work on parity violation, the Lee–Yang theorem, particle physics, relativistic heavy ion (RHIC) physics, nontopological solitons, and soliton stars. He was a university professor emeritus at Columbia University in New York City, where he taught from 1953 until his retirement in 2012.
2024 — Duane Thomas, American football player (born 1947) ↗(2 years ago)more
Duane Julius Thomas was an American professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Redskins. He played college football for the West Texas State Buffaloes.
2023 — Dalia Fadila, Israeli educator (born 1971/1972) ↗(3 years ago)more
Dalia Fadila was an Israeli educator. She developed a new curriculum, textbooks, and schools in Israel and Jordan, which are designed to teach English to Arab schoolchildren. She was the first Arab woman to found and manage an education chain in Israel.
2019 — Nuon Chea, Cambodian politician and theorist for the Khmer Rouge (born 1926) ↗(7 years ago)more
Nuon Chea, also known as Long Bunruot or Rungloet Laodi, was a Cambodian politician and revolutionary who was the chief ideologist of the Khmer Rouge. He also briefly served as acting Prime Minister of Democratic Kampuchea.
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (217) | 7 × 31 · composite (no) |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (149) | 149 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 04082026 · no palindrome in next 200 years |
| Sun declination | +16.82° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 45 days |