June 4
June 4 is the 156th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 210 days remain until the year's end. It falls in spring (northern hemisphere) and under the astrological sign of Gemini.
External references
Curated jump-off points to the major almanacs, encyclopaedias and primary sources for this date.
Astronomy
On June 4 the Sun's declination is approximately +22.5°. At this latitude the Sun is north of the celestial equator, giving the Northern Hemisphere longer 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 June 4.
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.
1783 — The Montgolfier brothers gave the first public demonstration of a hot-air balloon at Annonay, France. ↗(243 years ago)more
The Montgolfier brothers – Joseph-Michel Montgolfier and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier – were aviation pioneers, balloonists and paper manufacturers from the commune Annonay in Ardèche, France. They invented the Montgolfière-style hot air balloon, globe aérostatique, which launched the first confirmed piloted ascent by humans in 1783, carrying Jacques-Étienne.
1942 — World War II: Battle of Midway began in the Pacific. ↗(84 years ago)more
The Battle of Midway was a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II that took place on 4–7 June 1942, six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor and one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea. The Japanese Combined Fleet under the command of Isoroku Yamamoto suffered a decisive defeat by two carrier strike groups of the U.S.
1989 — The Tiananmen Square massacre concluded as Chinese troops cleared central Beijing. ↗(37 years ago)more
Protests led by students and workers, known in China as the June Fourth Incident, were held in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, from 15 April to 4 June 1989. After weeks of unsuccessful attempts between the demonstrators and the Chinese government to find a peaceful resolution, the Chinese government initiated martial law in late May and deployed troop...
1989 — The Solidarity trade union won 99 of 100 seats in Poland's first free elections in 40 years. ↗(37 years ago)more
Solidarity, full name Independent Self-Governing Trade Union "Solidarity", is a Polish trade union founded in August 1980 at the Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk, Poland. Subsequently, it was the first independent trade union in a Warsaw Pact country to be recognised by the state.
Notable births
1738 — George III of the United Kingdom. ↗(288 years ago)more
George III was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 25 October 1760 until his death in 1820. The Acts of Union 1800 unified Great Britain and Ireland into the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, with George as its king.
1975 — Angelina Jolie, American actress. ↗(51 years ago)more
Angelina Jolie is an American actress, filmmaker, and humanitarian. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Tony Award and three Golden Globe Awards. Films in which she has appeared have grossed over $6.9 billion worldwide. She has been named Hollywood's highest-paid actress multiple times.
Notable deaths
1798 — Giacomo Casanova, Italian adventurer. ↗(228 years ago)more
Giacomo Girolamo Casanova was an Italian adventurer and writer who was born in the Republic of Venice and travelled extensively throughout Europe. He is chiefly remembered for his autobiography, written in French and published posthumously as Histoire de ma vie.
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (156) | 2^2 × 3 × 13 · composite (no) |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (210) | 2 × 3 × 5 × 7 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 04062026 · no palindrome in next 200 years |
| Sun declination | +22.53° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 16 days |