December 17
December 17 is the 352nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 14 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 17 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 17.
Position in the year
Holidays & observances
- Christian feast day: Daniel the Prophet
- Christian feast day: Josep Manyanet i Vives
- Christian feast day: Lazarus of Bethany (local commemoration in Cuba)
- Christian feast day: O Sapientia
- Christian feast day: Olympias the Deaconess
Events
A selection of widely-documented historical events that took place on this date. Years marked BCE follow standard astronomical convention.
2014 — The United States and Cuba re-establish diplomatic relations after severing them in 1961. ↗(12 years ago)more
Modern diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States are cold, stemming from historic conflict and divergent political ideologies. The two nations restored diplomatic relations on July 20, 2015, after relations had been severed in 1961 during the Cold War. The U.S. has maintained a comprehensive trade embargo against Cuba since 1960.
2010 — Mohamed Bouazizi sets himself on fire. This act became the catalyst for the Tunisian Revolution and the wider Arab Spring. ↗(16 years ago)more
Tarek El-Tayeb Mohamed Bouazizi was a Tunisian street vendor who, in response to the confiscation of his wares as well as the harassment and humiliation inflicted by municipal officials and their aides, set himself on fire on 17 December 2010 in Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia.
2009 — MV Danny F II sinks off the coast of Lebanon, resulting in the deaths of 44 people and over 28,000 animals. ↗(17 years ago)more
Danny F II was a cargo ship built in 1975 as a car carrier. She was renamed Danny F II when rebuilt as a livestock transporter in 1994. The ship capsized and sank off Lebanon on 17 December 2009, carrying 83 people, 10,224 sheep, and 17,932 cattle. 40 people were rescued and 11 found dead. The other crew, passengers and animals are presumed to have died.
2005 — Anti-World Trade Organization protesters riot in Wan Chai, Hong Kong. ↗(21 years ago)more
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an intergovernmental organization that regulates and facilitates international trade. Established on 1 January 1995, pursuant to the 1994 Marrakesh Agreement, it succeeded the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which was created in 1948.
2005 — Jigme Singye Wangchuck abdicates the throne as King of Bhutan. ↗(21 years ago)more
Jigme Singye Wangchuck is a member of the Wangchuck dynasty who reigned as King of Bhutan from 1972 until his abdication in 2006. He is the father of the present King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck. He is the only son of five children born to the King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck and Queen Ashi Kesang Choden.
2003 — The Soham murder trial ends at the Old Bailey in London, with Ian Huntley found guilty of two counts of murder. His girlfriend, Maxine Carr, is found guilty of perverting the course of justice. ↗(23 years ago)more
On 4 August 2002, two 10-year-old girls, Holly Marie Wells and Jessica Amiee Chapman, were lured into the home of a local resident and school caretaker, Ian Huntley, in Soham, Cambridgeshire, England. Both children were murdered – most likely by asphyxiation – and their bodies disposed of in an irrigation ditch close to RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk.
2003 — SpaceShipOne, piloted by Brian Binnie, makes its first powered and first supersonic flight. ↗(23 years ago)more
SpaceShipOne is an experimental air-launched rocket-powered aircraft with sub-orbital spaceflight capability at speeds of up to 3,000 ft/s (2,000 mph) / 910 m/s (3,300 km/h) using a hybrid rocket motor.
2003 — Sex work rights activists establish December 17 (or 'D17') as International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers to memorialize victims of a serial killer who targeted prostitutes, and highlight State violence against sex workers by police and others. ↗(23 years ago)more
The International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers is observed annually on 17 December by sex workers, their clientele, friends, families and allies. Originally conceived as a memorial and vigil for the victims of the Green River Killer in Seattle, Washington, US, it has evolved into an annual international event.
2002 — Second Congo War: The Congolese parties of the Inter Congolese Dialogue sign a peace accord which makes provision for transitional governance and legislative and presidential elections within two years. ↗(24 years ago)more
The Second Congo War, also known as Africa's World War or the Great War of Africa, was a major conflict that began on 2 August 1998, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, just over a year after the First Congo War.
1997 — Peruvian internal conflict: Fourteen members of the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement provoke a hostage crisis by taking over the Japanese embassy in Lima. ↗(29 years ago)more
The internal conflict in Peru is an armed conflict between the Government of Peru and the Maoist guerrilla group Shining Path. The conflict's main phase began on 17 May 1980 and ended in December 2000. From 1982 to 1997 the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA) waged its own insurgency as a Marxist–Leninist rival to the Shining Path.
1997 — Aerosvit Flight 241: A Yakovlev Yak-42 crashes into the Pierian Mountains near Thessaloniki Airport in Thessaloniki, Greece, killing all 70 people on board. ↗(29 years ago)more
Aerosvit Flight 241 (VV241/AEW241) was a scheduled international passenger flight from the Ukrainian city of Odesa to Thessaloniki, Greece. On 17 December 1997, the Yakovlev Yak-42 operating the flight registered as UR-42334 flew into a mountainside during a missed approach into Thessaloniki in Greece. All 70 people aboard were killed.
1989 — Romanian Revolution: Protests continue in Timișoara, Romania, with rioters breaking into the Romanian Communist Party's District Committee building and attempting to set it on fire. ↗(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.
Notable births
2002 — Castello Lukeba, French footballer ↗(24 years ago)more
Junior Castello Lukeba is a French professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Bundesliga club RB Leipzig.
2000 — Wesley Fofana, French footballer ↗(26 years ago)more
Wesley Tidjan Fofana is a French professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Chelsea.
1999 — Holly Humberstone, English singer-songwriter ↗(27 years ago)more
Holly Ffion Humberstone is an English singer-songwriter from Grantham. She released her debut extended play (EP) Falling Asleep at the Wheel in 2020, and then signed a recording contract with Interscope and Polydor Records. Her first EP following the signings, The Walls Are Way Too Thin, was released in November 2021.
1999 — Mirei Sasaki, Japanese singer, model, and actress ↗(27 years ago)more
Mirei Sasaki is a Japanese actress, reporter, and model. She has appeared in dramas such as Women's Gourmet Burger Club (2020) and Kakegurui Twin (2021), and starred in Koeharu! (2021) and Piece of Cake! (2022). Her theater appearances include portraying Yor Forger in the stage adaptation of Spy × Family (2023).
1998 — Jasmine Armfield, English actress ↗(28 years ago)more
Jasmine Armfield is an English actress, known for playing Bex Fowler in the BBC soap opera EastEnders from 2014 to 2020, with a brief stint in 2025. Following her leaving the soap, she has made appearances in fellow BBC series Doctors and Casualty, as well as making her stage debut in Jumping the Shark in 2023.
1998 — Martin Ødegaard, Norwegian footballer ↗(28 years ago)more
Martin Ødegaard is a Norwegian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for and captains both Premier League club Arsenal and the Norway national team.
Notable deaths
2024 — Igor Kirillov, Russian general (born 1970) ↗(2 years ago)more
Igor Anatolyevich Kirillov was a Russian lieutenant general. He was the head of the Chemical, Biological, and Nuclear Defense Troops of the Russian Armed Forces. He held a Candidate of Military Sciences degree.
2024 — Marisa Paredes, Spanish film actress (born 1946) ↗(2 years ago)more
María Luisa Paredes Bartolomé, known professionally as Marisa Paredes, was a Spanish actress with a 60-year long career. She acted in more than 75 films, 80 tv shows, and 15 plays.
2023 — Ronaldo Valdez, Filipino actor (born 1947) ↗(3 years ago)more
James Ronald Dulaca Gibbs, popularly known by his screen name Ronaldo Valdez, was a Filipino actor whose career spanned almost five decades.
2023 — James McCaffrey, American actor (born 1958) ↗(3 years ago)more
James Perry McCaffrey was an American actor. He starred as the lead character in the short lived series Swift Justice, which was cancelled after only a season. Additionally, he had roles such as Jimmy Keefe on Rescue Me (2004–2011), and Captain Arthur O'Byrne in New York Undercover (1994–1997).
2020 — Jeremy Bulloch, English actor (born 1945) ↗(6 years ago)more
Jeremy Andrew Bulloch was an English actor. In a career that spanned six decades, he gained recognition for originating the physical portrayal of Boba Fett in the Star Wars franchise, appearing as the character in the films The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983).
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (352) | 2^5 × 11 · composite (no) |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (14) | 2 × 7 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 17122026 · next palindrome year: 2171 |
| Sun declination | -23.41° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 3 days |