February 1
February 1 is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 334 days remain until the year's end. It falls in winter (northern hemisphere) and under the astrological sign of Aquarius.
External references
Curated jump-off points to the major almanacs, encyclopaedias and primary sources for this date.
Astronomy
On February 1 the Sun's declination is approximately -17.5°. 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 February 1.
Position in the year
Holidays & observances
- Imbolc / St Brigid's Day (Ireland)
- National Freedom Day (United States — Lincoln signed the 13th Amendment resolution this day in 1865)
Events
A selection of widely-documented historical events that took place on this date. Years marked BCE follow standard astronomical convention.
1865 — U.S. President Abraham Lincoln signed the joint resolution proposing the Thirteenth Amendment. ↗(161 years ago)more
The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution made slavery and involuntary servitude illegal, except as punishment for a crime. The amendment was passed by the Senate on April 8, 1864, by the House of Representatives on January 31, 1865, and ratified by the required 27 of the then 36 states on December 6, 1865, and proclaimed on December 18, ...
1884 — The first volume of the Oxford English Dictionary was published. ↗(142 years ago)more
The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is the principal historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP), a University of Oxford publishing house. The dictionary, which began publication in 1884, traces the historical development of the English language, providing a comprehensive resource to scholars and academic rese...
1960 — Four black students staged a sit-in at a Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina. ↗(66 years ago)more
The Greensboro sit-ins were a series of nonviolent protests in February to July 1960, primarily in the Woolworth store—now the International Civil Rights Center and Museum—in Greensboro, North Carolina, which led to the F. W. Woolworth Company department store chain removing its policy of racial segregation in the Southern United States.
1979 — Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned to Tehran after 14 years' exile. ↗(47 years ago)more
The Iranian Revolution, also known as the Islamic Revolution, culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1979. The revolution led to the replacement of the Imperial State of Iran by the Islamic Republic of Iran, as the monarchical government of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was superseded by Ruhollah Khomeini, an Islamist cleric who had headed one...
2003 — The Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated on re-entry, killing all seven crew. ↗(23 years ago)more
On February 1, 2003, Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated as it re-entered the atmosphere over Texas and Louisiana, killing all seven astronauts on board. It was the second of two Space Shuttle missions to end in disaster, after the loss of Challenger and crew in 1986.
Notable births
1801 — Thomas Cole, American Hudson River School painter. ↗(225 years ago)more
Thomas Cole was an Anglo-American artist who founded the Hudson River School art movement. He painted romantic landscapes and history paintings. Influenced by European painters, but with a strong American sensibility, he was prolific throughout his career and worked primarily with oil on canvas.
1901 — Clark Gable, American actor (Gone with the Wind). ↗(125 years ago)more
William Clark Gable was an American actor often referred to as the "King of Hollywood". He appeared in more than 60 motion pictures across a variety of genres during a 37-year career, three decades of which he spent as a leading man. In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked Gable as the seventh greatest male screen legend of classical Hollywood cinema.
1968 — Lisa Marie Presley, American singer-songwriter. ↗(58 years ago)more
Lisa Marie Presley was an American singer-songwriter. The daughter of singer and actor Elvis Presley and actress Priscilla Presley, she became the sole heir to her father's estate following the deaths of her grandfather and great-grandmother. She was also known for her marriage to Michael Jackson, whom she wed in 1994 and divorced in 1996.
Notable deaths
1976 — Werner Heisenberg, German theoretical physicist. ↗(50 years ago)more
Werner Karl Heisenberg was a German theoretical physicist, one of the main pioneers of the theory of quantum mechanics, and a principal scientist in the German nuclear program during World War II.
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (32) | 2^5 · composite (no) |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (334) | 2 × 167 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 01022026 · no palindrome in next 200 years |
| Sun declination | -17.51° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 43 days |