February 24
February 24 is the 55th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 311 days remain until the year's end. It falls in winter (northern hemisphere) and under the astrological sign of Pisces.
External references
Curated jump-off points to the major almanacs, encyclopaedias and primary sources for this date.
Astronomy
On February 24 the Sun's declination is approximately -10.1°. 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 24.
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.
- 1582 — Pope Gregory XIII issued the papal bull Inter gravissimas, introducing the Gregorian calendar. ↗(444 years ago)
more
The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It went into effect in October 1582 following the papal bull Inter gravissimas issued by Pope Gregory XIII, which introduced it as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian calendar.
- 1803 — Marbury v. Madison: the U.S. Supreme Court established the principle of judicial review. ↗(223 years ago)
more
Marbury v. Madison, 5 U.S. 137 (1803), is a landmark decision of the Supreme Court of the United States that established the principle of judicial review, meaning that American courts have the power to strike down laws and statutes they find to violate the Constitution of the United States.
1942 — The Voice of America began broadcasting. ↗(84 years ago)more
Voice of America is an international broadcaster, funded by the United States federal government and established in 1942. It is the largest and oldest of the US's existing international broadcasters, producing digital, TV, and radio content in 48 languages for affiliate stations around the world.
2008 — Fidel Castro stepped down as President of Cuba. ↗(18 years ago)more
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz was a Cuban politician and revolutionary who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008, serving as prime minister from 1959 to 1976 and president from 1976 to 2008. Ideologically a Marxist–Leninist and Cuban nationalist, he also served as the first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from 1965 until 2011.
2022 — Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. ↗(4 years ago)more
On 24 February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, starting the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II, in a major escalation of the existing war between the two countries that began when Russia attacked Ukraine in 2014. The fighting has caused hundreds of thousands of military casualties and tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilian casualties.
Notable births
1500 — Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. ↗(526 years ago)more
Charles V was Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1519 to 1556, King of Spain from 1516 to 1556, King of Sicily and Naples from 1516 to 1554, and also Lord of the Netherlands and titular Duke of Burgundy from 1506 to 1555. He was heir to and then head of the rising House of Habsburg.
1955 — Steve Jobs, American entrepreneur (Apple, Pixar). ↗(71 years ago)more
Steven Paul Jobs was an American businessman, inventor, and investor. A pioneer of the personal computer revolution of the 1970s and 1980s, Jobs co-founded Apple Inc. with his early business partner Steve Wozniak as Apple Computer Company in 1976.
Notable deaths
1815 — Robert Fulton, American engineer and steamboat pioneer. ↗(211 years ago)more
Robert Fulton was an American engineer and inventor who is widely credited with developing the world's first commercially successful steamboat, the North River Steamboat. In 1807, that steamboat traveled on the Hudson River with passengers from New York City to Albany and back again, a round trip of 300 nautical miles, in 62 hours.
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (55) | 5 × 11 · composite (no) |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (311) | 311 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 24022026 · next palindrome year: 2042 |
| Sun declination | -10.14° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 66 days |