December 28
December 28 is the 363rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 3 days remain until the year's end. It falls in winter (northern hemisphere) and under the astrological sign of Capricorn.
External references
Curated jump-off points to the major almanacs, encyclopaedias and primary sources for this date.
Astronomy
On December 28 the Sun's declination is approximately -23.2°. 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 28.
Position in the year
Holidays & observances
- Christian feast day: Abel (Coptic Church)
- Christian feast day: Caterina Volpicelli
- Christian feast day: Feast of the Holy Innocents or Childermas; in Spain and Latin American countries the festival is celebrated with pranks (inocentadas), similar to April Fools' Day (Catholic Church, Church of England, Lutheran Church), and its related observances: Els Enfarinats (Ibi, Spain)
- Christian feast day: Simon the Athonite
- Christian feast day: December 28 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Events
A selection of widely-documented historical events that took place on this date. Years marked BCE follow standard astronomical convention.
2025 — Unrest in the form of mass protests erupt across Iran, the largest uprising in the country since the Iranian Revolution. ↗(1 years ago)more
The 2025–2026 Iranian protests were a series of nationwide demonstrations against the government of Iran that began on 28 December 2025 amid a deepening economic crisis. The unrest followed a sharp depreciation of the Iranian rial, rising inflation, and widespread shortages linked to international sanctions and government mismanagement.
- 2019 — A truck bomb is detonated in Mogadishu, Somalia, killing at least 85 people and injuring over 140 more. The militant group Al-Shabaab claims responsibility. ↗(7 years ago)
more
On 28 December 2019, a suicide truck bomber killed at least 85 people at the Ex-Control Afgoye police checkpoint in Mogadishu, Somalia. More than 140 others were wounded and, as of 31 December, 12 people remained missing. Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack on 30 December.
2014 — Indonesia AirAsia Flight 8501 crashes into the Karimata Strait en route from Surabaya to Singapore, killing all 162 people aboard. ↗(12 years ago)more
Indonesia AirAsia Flight 8501 was a scheduled international passenger flight operated by Indonesia AirAsia from Surabaya, Indonesia, to Singapore. On 28 December 2014, the Airbus A320 flying the route crashed into the Java Sea, killing all 162 of the people on board. When search operations ended in March 2015, only 116 bodies had been recovered.
2014 — Nine people die and another 19 are reported missing, when the MS Norman Atlantic catches fire in the Strait of Otranto, in the Adriatic Sea, in Italian waters. ↗(12 years ago)more
MS Norman Atlantic was a roll-on/roll-off passenger (ROPAX) ferry owned by the Italian ferry company Visemar di Navigazione. The ferry was chartered by ANEK Lines from December 2014. On 28 December 2014, she caught fire in the Strait of Otranto, in the Adriatic Sea.
2009 — Forty-three people die in a suicide bombing in Karachi, Pakistan, where Shia Muslims are observing the Day of Ashura. ↗(17 years ago)more
The 2009 Karachi bombing or Ashura attack took place on 28 December 2009 inside a Shia procession commemorating the day of Ashura, at Muhammad Ali Jinnah Road, Karachi, Pakistan. Ashura is the holiest of days for followers of Shia Islam and marks the anniversary of the death of Imam Hussain, grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, who was killed at the ...
2006 — War in Somalia: The militaries of Somalia's Transitional Federal Government and Ethiopian troops capture Mogadishu unopposed. ↗(20 years ago)more
The Ethiopian invasion of Somalia, also known as the Ethiopian occupation of Somalia was an armed conflict lasting from mid-2006 to early 2009. It began when Ethiopian military forces, supported by the United States, invaded Somalia to depose the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) and install the Transitional Federal Government (TFG).
- 1989 — A magnitude 5.6 earthquake hits Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, killing 13 people. ↗(37 years ago)
more
The 1989 Newcastle earthquake was an intraplate earthquake that occurred in Newcastle, New South Wales, on Thursday 28 December. The shock measured 5.6 on the Richter scale and was one of Australia's most serious natural disasters, killing 13 people and injuring more than 160.
1978 — United Airlines Flight 173 crashes in a residential neighborhood near Portland International Airport, killing 10 people. ↗(48 years ago)more
United Airlines Flight 173 was a scheduled flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City to Portland International Airport in Portland, Oregon, with a scheduled stop in Denver, Colorado.
1973 — The United States Endangered Species Act is signed into law by President Richard Nixon. ↗(53 years ago)more
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic consisting of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C.
1972 — The last scheduled day for induction into the military by the Selective Service System. Due to the fact that President Richard Nixon declared this day a national day of mourning due to former President Harry S Truman's death, approximately 300 men were not able to report due to most Federal offices being closed. Since the draft was not resumed in 1973, they were never drafted. ↗(54 years ago)more
The Selective Service System (SSS) is an independent agency of the United States government that maintains a database of registered male U.S. citizens and other U.S. residents potentially subject to military conscription.
1967 — American businesswoman Muriel Siebert becomes the first woman to own a seat on the New York Stock Exchange. ↗(59 years ago)more
Muriel Faye Siebert was an American businesswoman who was the first woman to own a seat on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), and the first woman to head one of the NYSE's member firms. She joined the 1,365 male members of the exchange on December 28, 1967.
1958 — 'Greatest Game Ever Played': The Baltimore Colts defeat the New York Giants in the first ever National Football League sudden death overtime game at New York's Yankee Stadium to win the NFL Championship. ↗(68 years ago)more
The 1958 NFL Championship Game was the 26th NFL championship game, played on December 28 at Yankee Stadium in New York City. It was the first NFL game to be decided in sudden death overtime. The Baltimore Colts won their first championship in franchise history over the New York Giants 23–17 in what soon became widely known as "the Greatest Game Ever Playe...
Notable births
2002 — Tom Cannon, British-Irish footballer ↗(24 years ago)more
Thomas Christopher Cannon is a professional footballer who plays as a striker for EFL Championship club Sheffield United. Born in England, he represents the Republic of Ireland national team.
2001 — Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Canadian actress ↗(25 years ago)more
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan is a Canadian actress. She rose to prominence for her leading role as high school student Devi Vishwakumar in the Netflix teen comedy series Never Have I Ever (2020–2023). She played voice roles in the animated films Turning Red (2022) and The Twits, and the animated series My Little Pony: Make Your Mark (2022–2023) and My Little Pon...
1999 — Iqbaal Ramadhan, Indonesian actor and singer ↗(27 years ago)more
Iqbaal Dhiafakhri Ramadhan is an Indonesian actor and singer. He is best known as an ex-member of the Indonesian boy band CJR (also known as Coboy Junior, and for his leading role in Dilan 1990. In 2018, he won the Variety Asian Star: Up Next award at the International Film Festival & Awards Macao for his role in that drama.
1996 — Tanguy Ndombele, French footballer ↗(30 years ago)more
Tanguy Ndombele Alvaro is a French professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Ligue 1 club Nice.
1995 — Dylan Cease, American baseball player ↗(31 years ago)more
Dylan Edward Cease is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Chicago White Sox and San Diego Padres.
1995 — Mauricio Lemos, Uruguayan footballer ↗(31 years ago)more
Paolo Mauricio Lemos Merladett is a Uruguayan professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Peñarol.
Notable deaths
2025 — Brigitte Bardot, French actress, singer and activist (born 1934) ↗(1 years ago)more
Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot, often referred to by her initials B.B., was a French actress, singer, model, and animal rights activist. She became one of the best-known symbols of the sexual revolution and gained international fame for portraying characters associated with hedonistic lifestyles.
2024 — Charles Dolan, American businessman, founded Cablevision and HBO (born 1926) ↗(2 years ago)more
Charles Francis Dolan was an American billionaire businessman and media mogul, best known as founder of Cablevision and HBO. Today, the Dolan family controls Madison Square Garden Sports, MSG Networks, Madison Square Garden Entertainment, Madison Square Garden, the Sphere, Radio City Music Hall, BBC America, and AMC Networks.
2023 — Vijayakanth, Indian actor and politician (born 1952) ↗(3 years ago)more
Vijayaraj Alagarswami, known by his stage name Vijayakanth, was an Indian actor, filmmaker, philanthropist and politician. He worked in Tamil cinema in a career spanning four decades. He ventured into politics in the later part of his career and founded his own party Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam.
2022 — Philomena Franz, German Romani author (born 1922) ↗(4 years ago)more
Philomena Franz was a Sinti writer and activist from Germany, who was a survivor of the Romani Holocaust, having been imprisoned in Auschwitz. She later published works that recounted her experiences and was recognised as a significant voice in Romani literature.
2021 — Grichka Bogdanoff, French television presenter and scientific essayist (born 1949) ↗(5 years ago)more
Igor Youriévitch Bogdanoff and Grégoire "Grichka" Youriévitch Bogdanoff, alternatively spelled Bogdanov, were French television presenters, producers, and essayists who presented a variety of programmes in science fiction, popular science, and cosmology.
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (363) | 3 × 11^2 · composite (no) |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (3) | 3 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 28122026 · next palindrome year: 2182 |
| Sun declination | -23.20° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 8 days |