February 11
February 11 is the 42nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 324 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 11 the Sun's declination is approximately -14.6°. 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 11.
Position in the year
Holidays & observances
- National Foundation Day (Japan)
- International Day of Women and Girls in Science (UN)
Events
A selection of widely-documented historical events that took place on this date. Years marked BCE follow standard astronomical convention.
660 — Traditional date of the founding of Japan by Emperor Jimmu. ↗(1366 years ago)more
Emperor Jimmu was the legendary first emperor of Japan according to the Nihon Shoki and Kojiki. His ascension is traditionally dated as 660 BC. In Japanese mythology, he was a descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu, through her grandson Ninigi, as well as a descendant of the storm god Susanoo.
1929 — The Lateran Treaty was signed, creating Vatican City as an independent state. ↗(97 years ago)more
The Lateran Treaty was one component of the Lateran Pacts of 1929, agreements between Italy under King Victor Emmanuel III and Prime Minister Benito Mussolini and the Holy See under Pope Pius XI to settle the long-standing Roman question.
1990 — Nelson Mandela was released after 27 years in South African prison. ↗(36 years ago)more
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid activist and statesman who was the first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was the country's first Black head of state and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election.
2011 — Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resigned after weeks of protests during the Arab Spring. ↗(15 years ago)more
The 2011 Egyptian revolution, also known as the 25 January Revolution, began on 25 January 2011 and spread across Egypt. The date was set by various youth groups to coincide with National Police Day as a statement against increasing police brutality during the later years of Hosni Mubarak's presidency.
Notable births
1847 — Thomas Edison, American inventor. ↗(179 years ago)more
Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices in fields such as electric power generation, sound recording, and motion pictures. These inventions, which include the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and early versions of the electric light bulb, have had a widespread impact on the modern industrialized world.
1936 — Burt Reynolds, American actor. ↗(90 years ago)more
Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. was an American actor most famous during the 1970s and '80s. He became well known in television series such as Gunsmoke (1962–1965), Hawk (1966) and Dan August (1970–1971). He had leading roles in films such as Navajo Joe (1966), and 100 Rifles (1969), and his breakthrough role was as Lewis Medlock in Deliverance (1972).
Notable deaths
1650 — René Descartes, French philosopher and mathematician. ↗(376 years ago)more
René Descartes was a French philosopher, scientist, logician, and mathematician, widely considered a seminal figure in the emergence of modern philosophy and science during the Renaissance era. Mathematics was paramount to his method of inquiry, and he connected the previously separate fields of geometry and algebra into analytic geometry.
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (42) | 2 × 3 × 7 · composite (no) |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (324) | 2^2 × 3^4 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 11022026 · no palindrome in next 200 years |
| Sun declination | -14.58° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 53 days |