February 3
February 3 is the 34th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 332 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 3 the Sun's declination is approximately -17.0°. 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 3.
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.
1870 — The Fifteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, prohibiting denial of the vote based on race. ↗(156 years ago)more
The Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits the federal government or any state from denying or abridging a citizen's right to vote "on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." It was ratified on February 3, 1870, as the third and last of the Reconstruction Amendments.
- 1913 — The Sixteenth Amendment authorising a U.S. federal income tax was ratified. ↗(113 years ago)
more
The Sixteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution allows Congress to levy an income tax without apportioning it among the states on the basis of population. It was passed by Congress in 1909 in response to the 1895 Supreme Court case of Pollock v. Farmers' Loan & Trust Co.
1959 — "The Day the Music Died": Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J. P. Richardson were killed in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa. ↗(67 years ago)more
On February 3, 1959, American rock and roll musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and "The Big Bopper" J. P. Richardson were killed in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa, together with pilot Roger Peterson. The event later became known as "The Day the Music Died" after singer-songwriter Don McLean referred to it as such in his 1971 song "American Pie".
1966 — The Soviet probe Luna 9 made the first soft landing on the Moon. ↗(60 years ago)more
Luna 9 (Луна-9), internal designation Ye-6 No.13, was an uncrewed space mission of the Soviet Union's Luna programme. On 3 February 1966, the Luna 9 spacecraft became the first spacecraft to achieve a soft landing on the Moon and return imagery from its surface.
Notable births
1809 — Felix Mendelssohn, German composer. ↗(217 years ago)more
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, simply known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic era. Mendelssohn's compositions include symphonies, concertos, piano music, organ music and chamber music.
1894 — Norman Rockwell, American painter and illustrator. ↗(132 years ago)more
Norman Percevel Rockwell was an American painter and illustrator. His works have a broad popular appeal in the United States for their reflection of the country's culture. Rockwell is most famous for the cover illustrations of everyday life he created for The Saturday Evening Post magazine over nearly five decades.
1907 — James A. Michener, American author. ↗(119 years ago)more
James Albert Michener was an American writer. He wrote more than 40 books, most of which were long, fictional family sagas covering the lives of many generations, set in particular geographic locales and incorporating detailed history. Many of his works were bestsellers and were chosen by the Book of the Month Club.
Notable deaths
1924 — Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the United States. ↗(102 years ago)more
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th president of the United States, serving from 1913 to 1921. He was the only Democrat to serve as president during the Progressive Era, when Republicans dominated the presidency and legislative branches. As president, Wilson made significant economic reforms and led the United States through World War I.
1959 — Buddy Holly, American singer-songwriter. ↗(67 years ago)more
Charles Hardin Holley, known professionally by his stage name Buddy Holly, was an American singer, songwriter, and musician who was a central and pioneering figure of rock and roll. He was born to a musical family in Lubbock, Texas, during the Great Depression, and learned to play guitar and sing alongside his two siblings.
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (34) | 2 × 17 · composite (no) |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (332) | 2^2 × 83 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 03022026 · next palindrome year: 2030 |
| Sun declination | -16.96° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 45 days |