January 22
January 22 is the 22nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 344 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 January 22 the Sun's declination is approximately -19.9°. 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 January 22.
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.
1879 — The Battle of Rorke's Drift: a small British garrison in Natal repelled a Zulu attack. ↗(147 years ago)more
The Battle of Rorke's Drift, also known as the Defence of Rorke's Drift, was an engagement in the Anglo-Zulu War. The successful British defence of the mission station of Rorke's Drift, under the command of Lieutenants John Chard of the Royal Engineers and Gonville Bromhead of the 24th Regiment of Foot, began once a large contingent of Zulu warriors broke...
1905 — Bloody Sunday: Russian troops fired on demonstrators in St Petersburg, killing hundreds. ↗(121 years ago)more
Bloody Sunday, also known as Red Sunday, was the series of events on Sunday, 22 January [O.S. 9 January] 1905 in St Petersburg, Russia, when demonstrators, led by Father Georgy Gapon, were fired upon by soldiers of the Imperial Guard as they marched towards the Winter Palace to present a petition to Tsar Nicholas II.
- 1973 — The U.S. Supreme Court delivered its decision in Roe v. Wade, legalising abortion nationwide (overturned 2022). ↗(53 years ago)
more
Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973), was a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the Court ruled that the Constitution of the United States protected the right of pregnant women to choose to have an abortion before the point of fetal viability.
1984 — Apple Computer aired its "1984" advertisement during Super Bowl XVIII, foreshadowing the Macintosh launch. ↗(42 years ago)more
"1984" is an American television commercial that introduced the Apple Macintosh personal computer. It was conceived by Steve Hayden, Brent Thomas, and Lee Clow at Chiat/Day, produced by New York production company Fairbanks Films, and directed by Ridley Scott.
Notable births
1561 — Francis Bacon, English philosopher and statesman. ↗(465 years ago)more
Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Alban was an English philosopher and statesman who served as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England under King James I. Bacon argued for the importance of natural philosophy, guided by the scientific method, and his works remained influential throughout the Scientific Revolution.
1788 — Lord Byron, English Romantic poet. ↗(238 years ago)more
George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron, was a British poet. He was one of the major figures of the Romantic movement, and is regarded as being among the greatest British poets. Among his best-known works are the lengthy narratives Don Juan and Childe Harold's Pilgrimage; many of his shorter lyrics in Hebrew Melodies also became popular.
Notable deaths
1901 — Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, after a 63-year reign. ↗(125 years ago)more
Victoria was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days, which was longer than those of any of her predecessors, constituted the Victorian era, a period of industrial, political, scientific, and military change within the United Kingdom marked by a great expansion ...
2008 — Heath Ledger, Australian actor. ↗(18 years ago)more
Heath Andrew Ledger was an Australian actor. Known for his versatility across independent and major studio films, his work consisted of 20 films in a variety of genres. He received numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, an Actor Award, a BAFTA Award, and a Golden Globe Award.
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (22) | 2 × 11 · composite (no) |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (344) | 2^3 × 43 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 22012026 · no palindrome in next 200 years |
| Sun declination | -19.92° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 33 days |