December 16
December 16 is the 351st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 15 days remain until the year's end. It falls in autumn (northern hemisphere) and under the astrological sign of Sagittarius.
External references
Curated jump-off points to the major almanacs, encyclopaedias and primary sources for this date.
Astronomy
On December 16 the Sun's declination is approximately -23.4°. At this latitude the Sun is south of the celestial equator, giving the Northern Hemisphere shorter 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 December 16.
Position in the year
Holidays & observances
- Christian feast day: Adelaide of Italy
- Christian feast day: Haggai
- Christian feast day: Blessed Marianna Fontanella
- Christian feast day: Blessed Philip Siphong Onphitak
- Christian feast day: Ralph Adams Cram, Richard Upjohn and John La Farge (Episcopal Church (USA))
Events
A selection of widely-documented historical events that took place on this date. Years marked BCE follow standard astronomical convention.
2024 — The Abundant Life Christian School shooting in Madison, Wisconsin, United States, takes place, resulting in the death of three people. ↗(2 years ago)more
On December 16, 2024, a school shooting occurred at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Two people were killed and six others were injured. The perpetrator, 15-year-old Natalie Lynn Rupnow, committed suicide at the scene. The shooting has inspired copycat attacks.
- 2022 — A landslide occurs at a camp at an organic farm near the town of Batang Kali in Selangor, Malaysia, trapping 92 people and killing 31. ↗(4 years ago)
more
A landslide occurred in the early hours of 16 December 2022 near the Malaysian town of Batang Kali, Selangor, displacing 450,000 m3 (16 million cu ft) of soil and burying campsites at an organic farm. The accident trapped 92 people under the collapsed slope; most were campers from the farm.
2014 — Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan militants attack an Army Public School in Peshawar, Pakistan, killing 150 people, 132 of them schoolchildren. ↗(12 years ago)more
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), or simply the Pakistani Taliban, is a Deobandi jihadist militant organization that primarily operates along the Afghanistan–Pakistan border. It is designated as a terrorist organization by the United Nations and by the Government of Pakistan.
- 2013 — A bus falls from an elevated highway in Manila, capital of the Philippines, killing at least 18 people with 20 injured. ↗(13 years ago)
more
The 2013 Manila Skyway bus accident occurred on December 16, 2013, between Bicutan and Sucat Exits of South Luzon Expressway in Parañaque, Metro Manila, Philippines, after a bus fell off the Skyway, crushing a delivery van and fatally wounding the van's driver. 19 people died and 19 others were injured.
2011 — The Zhanaozen massacre occurs when violent protests by oil workers take place in Zhanaozen, Kazakhstan, resulting in security forces killing at least 14 and injuring 100 more. ↗(15 years ago)more
The Zhanaozen massacre took place in Kazakhstan's western Mangystau Region over the weekend of 16–17 December 2011. At least 14 protesters were killed by police in the oil town of Zhanaozen as they clashed with police on the country's Independence Day, with unrest spreading to other towns in the oil-rich oblys, or region.
1997 — Dennō Senshi Porygon: Over 600 kids in Japan suffer photosensitive epileptic seizures after watching an episode of the Pokémon anime. ↗(29 years ago)more
"Dennō Senshi Porygon" is the 38th episode of the Pokémon anime's first season. During its sole broadcast in Japan on December 16, 1997, multiple scenes with flashing lights induced photosensitive epileptic seizures in children across the country.
- 1992 — Deportation of Hamas members: Israeli authorities began deporting hundreds of Palestinians suspected to be members of Hamas across the Lebanese border. ↗(34 years ago)
more
On 16 December 1992, the Israeli government carried out a mass deportation across the Lebanese border of four hundred Palestinian prisoners suspected of membership in the upsurgent Islamist militant organisation Hamas.
1989 — Romanian Revolution: Protests break out in Timișoara, Romania, in response to an attempt by the government to evict dissident Hungarian pastor László Tőkés. ↗(37 years ago)more
The Romanian revolution was a period of violent civil unrest in the Socialist Republic of Romania during December 1989 as a part of the revolutions of 1989 that occurred in several countries around the world, primarily within the Eastern Bloc.
1986 — The Jeltoqsan riots erupt in Alma-Ata, Kazakh SSR, in response to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev's dismissal of ethnic Kazakh Dinmukhamed Kunaev, the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan, and his replacement with Gennady Kolbin, an ethnic Russian from the Russian SFSR. ↗(40 years ago)more
The Jeltoqsan, also spelled Zheltoksan, or December of 1986, were protests that took place in Alma-Ata, Kazakh SSR, in response to CPSU General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev's dismissal of Dinmukhamed Kunaev, the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan and an ethnic Kazakh, and his replacement with Gennady Kolbin, an ethnic Russian from the Rus...
1973 — Aeroflot Flight 2022 crashes in the Soviet Union's (now Russia) Volokolamsky District, killing all 51 aboard, including four Lithuanian doctors. ↗(53 years ago)more
Aeroflot Flight 2022 was a scheduled Soviet domestic passenger flight between Vilnius Airport in Lithuanian SSR and Moscow–Vnukovo Airport in Russian SFSR, that crashed on 16 December 1973, killing all 51 people on board.
1972 — The Constitution of the People's Republic of Bangladesh is enacted. ↗(54 years ago)more
The Constitution of Bangladesh, officially the Constitution of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is the supreme law of Bangladesh. The constitution was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of Bangladesh on 4 November 1972, it came into effect on 16 December 1972.
1971 — Bangladesh Liberation War and Indo-Pakistani War of 1971: The surrender of the Pakistan Army brings an end to both conflicts. This is commemorated annually as Victory Day in Bangladesh and Vijay Diwas in India respectively. ↗(55 years ago)more
The Bangladesh Liberation War, also known as the Bangladesh War of Independence, was an armed conflict sparked by the rise of the Bengali nationalist and self-determination movement in East Pakistan, which resulted in the independence of Bangladesh with the help of India.
Notable births
2001 — Kai Cenat, American streamer ↗(25 years ago)more
Kai Carlo Cenat III is an American online streamer, YouTuber, and internet personality who specializes in comedic live streams and videos. As of 2025, he is the most-subscribed Twitch streamer in the world, as well as the most-followed Twitch streamer with 20 million followers. He is a member of the streamer collective Any Means Possible (AMP).
1998 — Zhou Jieqiong, Chinese singer and actress ↗(28 years ago)more
Zhou Jieqiong, known professionally as Jieqiong or Kyulkyung, is a Chinese singer and actress. She is best known as a member of the girl group I.O.I after finishing sixth in the survival show Produce 101. She also became a member of Pristin and its subgroup Pristin V. She made her solo debut with the single "Why" on September 6, 2018.
1996 — Wilfred Ndidi, Nigerian footballer ↗(30 years ago)more
Onyinye Wilfred Ndidi is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Süper Lig club Beşiktaş and captains the Nigeria national team.
1996 — Sergio Reguilón, Spanish footballer ↗(30 years ago)more
Sergio Reguilón Rodríguez is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Major League Soccer club Inter Miami.
- 1996 — Henry Thornton, Australian cricketer ↗(30 years ago)
more
Henry Thornton is an Australian cricketer who plays for the South Australian cricket team and the Adelaide Strikers. He made his List A debut for Cricket Australia XI against Pakistanis during their tour of Australia on 10 January 2017.
Notable deaths
- 2025 — Lusanda Dumke, South African professional rugby union player who played as a flanker (born 1996) ↗(1 years ago)
more
Lusanda Dumke was a South African professional rugby union player who played as a flanker.
2024 — Dick Van Arsdale, American basketball player (born 1943) ↗(2 years ago)more
Richard Albert Van Arsdale was an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). A three-time NBA All-Star selection, his No. 5 was retired by the Phoenix Suns.
2024 — Tulsi Gowda, Indian environmentalist (born 1937/1938) ↗(2 years ago)more
Tulsi Gowda was an Indian environmentalist from Honnali village. She planted more than 30,000 saplings and looked after the nurseries of the Forest Department. Her work has been honoured by the Government of India and other organisations. In 2021, the Government of India awarded her the Padma Shri, the country's fourth highest civilian award.
2023 — Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait (born 1937) ↗(3 years ago)more
Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah was Emir of Kuwait from 2020 until his death in 2023.
2017 — Keely Smith, American singer and actress (born 1928) ↗(9 years ago)more
Dorothy Jacqueline Keely, professionally known as Keely Smith, was an American jazz and popular music singer, who performed and recorded extensively in the 1950s with then-husband Louis Prima, and throughout the 1960s as a solo artist.
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (351) | 3^3 × 13 · composite (no) |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (15) | 3 × 5 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 16122026 · next palindrome year: 2161 |
| Sun declination | -23.39° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 4 days |