January 31
January 31 is the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 335 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 31 the Sun's declination is approximately -17.8°. 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 31.
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.
1606 — Guy Fawkes, leader of the Gunpowder Plot, was executed by hanging in London. ↗(420 years ago)more
Guy Fawkes, also known as Guido Fawkes while fighting for the Spanish, was a member of a group of provincial English Catholics involved in the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605. He was born and educated in York; his father died when Fawkes was eight years old, after which his mother married a recusant Catholic.
1865 — The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Thirteenth Amendment, abolishing slavery. ↗(161 years ago)more
The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution made slavery and involuntary servitude illegal, except as punishment for a crime. The amendment was passed by the Senate on April 8, 1864, by the House of Representatives on January 31, 1865, and ratified by the required 27 of the then 36 states on December 6, 1865, and proclaimed on December 18, ...
1958 — Explorer 1, the first U.S. satellite, was launched, discovering the Van Allen radiation belts. ↗(68 years ago)more
Explorer 1 was the first satellite launched by the United States in 1958 and was part of the U.S. participation in the International Geophysical Year (IGY). The mission followed the first two satellites, both launched by the Soviet Union during the previous year, Sputnik 1 and Sputnik 2. This began a Space Race during the Cold War between the two nations.
1990 — The first McDonald's restaurant opened in Moscow. ↗(36 years ago)more
From 1990 to 2022, the American fast food chain McDonald's operated and franchised McDonald's restaurants in Russia.
2020 — The United Kingdom formally withdrew from the European Union (Brexit took legal effect). ↗(6 years ago)more
Brexit was the withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU).
Notable births
1797 — Franz Schubert, Austrian composer. ↗(229 years ago)more
Franz Peter Schubert was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. Despite his short life, Schubert left behind a vast oeuvre of more than 1,000 compositions, including over 600 Lieder and other vocal works, seven complete symphonies, sacred music, operas, incidental music, and a large body of piano and chamber music.
1919 — Jackie Robinson, first African-American Major League Baseball player in modern era. ↗(107 years ago)more
Jack Roosevelt Robinson was an American professional baseball player who was the first African American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the modern era. Robinson broke the color line when he started at first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947.
1981 — Justin Timberlake, American singer and actor. ↗(45 years ago)more
Justin Randall Timberlake is an American singer, songwriter, actor, record producer, and dancer. Dubbed the "Prince of Pop", he is one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Billboard named him one of the greatest pop stars of the 21st century.
Notable deaths
1956 — A. A. Milne, English author. ↗(70 years ago)more
Alan Alexander Milne was an English writer best known for his books about the teddy bear Winnie-the-Pooh, as well as children's poetry. Milne was primarily a playwright before the huge success of Winnie-the-Pooh overshadowed his previous work.
1995 — George Abbott, American theatre director and producer. ↗(31 years ago)more
George Francis Abbott was an American theatre producer, director, playwright, screenwriter, film director and producer whose career spanned eight decades. He received numerous honors including six Tony Awards, the Pulitzer Prize, the Kennedy Center Honors in 1982, the National Medal of Arts in 1990, and was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame.
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (31) | 31 · prime |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (335) | 5 × 67 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 31012026 · no palindrome in next 200 years |
| Sun declination | -17.77° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 42 days |