February 17
February 17 is the 48th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 318 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 17 the Sun's declination is approximately -12.6°. 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 17.
Position in the year
Holidays & observances
No widely-observed holidays catalogued for this day in our base set. See the external almanacs above for region-specific observances.
Events
A selection of widely-documented historical events that took place on this date. Years marked BCE follow standard astronomical convention.
1801 — The U.S. House of Representatives broke a tie in the Electoral College and elected Thomas Jefferson President. ↗(225 years ago)more
Presidential elections were held in the United States from October 31 to December 3, 1800. In what is sometimes called the "Revolution of 1800", the Democratic-Republican Party candidate, Vice President Thomas Jefferson, defeated the Federalist Party candidate and incumbent, President John Adams in the first peaceful transfer of power in the history of th...
1864 — The Confederate submarine H. L. Hunley sank the USS Housatonic — the first sinking of a warship by a submarine. ↗(162 years ago)more
H. L. Hunley, also known as the Hunley, CSS H. L. Hunley, or CSS Hunley, was a submarine of the Confederate States of America that fought in the American Civil War. Hunley demonstrated the advantages and dangers of undersea warfare.
1904 — Giacomo Puccini's opera Madama Butterfly premiered at La Scala, Milan. ↗(122 years ago)more
Madama Butterfly is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. The Schickling catalog number is SC 74.
- 2008 — Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia. ↗(18 years ago)
more
The 2008 Kosovo declaration of independence, which proclaimed the Republic of Kosovo to be an independent and sovereign state, was adopted at a meeting held on 17 February 2008 by 109 out of the 120 members of the Assembly of Kosovo, including the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, and by the President of Kosovo, Fatmir Sejdiu.
Notable births
1781 — René Laennec, French physician who invented the stethoscope. ↗(245 years ago)more
René-Théophile-Hyacinthe Laennec was a French medical doctor and musician. His skill at carving his own wooden flutes led him to invent the stethoscope in 1816, while working at the Hôpital Necker. He pioneered its use in diagnosing various chest conditions. He became a lecturer at the Collège de France in 1822 and professor of medicine in 1823.
1963 — Michael Jordan, American basketball player. ↗(63 years ago)more
Michael Jeffrey Jordan, also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and retired professional basketball player who is a minority owner of the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played 15 seasons in the NBA between 1984 and 2003, winning six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls.
Notable deaths
1909 — Geronimo, Apache leader. ↗(117 years ago)more
Gerónimo was a military leader and medicine man from the Bedonkohe band of the Ndendahe Apache people. From 1850 to 1886, Geronimo joined with members of three other Central Apache bands – the Tchihende, the Tsokanende and the Nednhi – to carry out numerous raids, as well as fight against Mexican and U.S.
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (48) | 2^4 × 3 · composite (no) |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (318) | 2 × 3 × 53 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 17022026 · next palindrome year: 2071 |
| Sun declination | -12.61° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 59 days |