March 2
March 2 is the 62nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 304 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 March 2 the Sun's declination is approximately -7.5°. 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 March 2.
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.
1657 — The Great Fire of Meireki destroyed much of Edo (Tokyo), killing more than 100,000. ↗(369 years ago)more
The Great Fire of Meireki , also known as the Great Furisode Fire, destroyed 60–70% of Edo, then de facto capital city of Japan, on 2 March 1657, the third year of the Meireki Era. The fire lasted for three days and, in combination with a severe blizzard that quickly followed, is estimated to have killed over 100,000 people.
1791 — Long-distance communication accelerated when the first U.S. patent law was enacted (precursor to the modern system). ↗(235 years ago)more
The Patent Act of 1790 was the first patent statute passed by the federal government of the United States. It was enacted on April 10, 1790, about one year after the constitution was ratified and a new government was organized. The law was concise, defining the subject matter of a U.S.
1855 — Alexander II became Tsar of Russia. ↗(171 years ago)more
Alexander II was Emperor of Russia, King of Poland, and Grand Duke of Finland from 2 March 1855 until his assassination on 13 March 1881. He is also known as Alexander the Liberator because of his historic Edict of Emancipation, which officially abolished Russian serfdom in 1861.
1962 — Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a single NBA game — still the all-time record. ↗(64 years ago)more
Wilt Chamberlain set the single-game scoring record in the National Basketball Association (NBA) by scoring 100 points for the Philadelphia Warriors in a 169–147 win over the New York Knicks on March 2, 1962, at Hershey Sports Arena in Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States. It is widely considered one of the greatest records in basketball history.
1969 — The Anglo-French Concorde made its maiden flight in Toulouse. ↗(57 years ago)more
Concorde is a retired Anglo-French supersonic airliner jointly developed and manufactured by Sud Aviation and the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC). Studies began in 1954 and a UK–France treaty followed in 1962, as the programme cost was estimated at £70 million . Construction of six prototypes began in February 1965, with the first flight from Toulouse...
Notable births
1904 — Theodor Geisel ("Dr. Seuss"), American author and cartoonist. ↗(122 years ago)more
Theodor Seuss Geisel was an American children's author, illustrator, animator, and cartoonist. He is known for his work writing and illustrating more than 60 books under the pen name Dr. Seuss. His work includes many of the most popular children's books of all time, selling over 600 million copies and being translated into more than 20 languages by the ti...
1931 — Mikhail Gorbachev, last leader of the Soviet Union. ↗(95 years ago)more
Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev was a Soviet and Russian politician who was the last leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 until the country's dissolution in 1991. He served as General Secretary of the Communist Party from 1985, and additionally as head of state from 1988.
1962 — Jon Bon Jovi, American rock musician. ↗(64 years ago)more
John Francis Bongiovi Jr., known professionally as Jon Bon Jovi, is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and actor. He is best known as the founder and frontman of the rock band Bon Jovi, which was formed in 1983. He has released 16 studio albums with his band as well as two solo albums.
Notable deaths
1855 — Nicholas I of Russia. ↗(171 years ago)more
Nicholas I was Emperor of Russia, King of Poland, and Grand Duke of Finland from 1825 to 1855. He was the third son of Paul I and younger brother of his predecessor, Alexander I. Nicholas's twenty nine-year reign began with the failed Decembrist revolt.
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (62) | 2 × 31 · composite (no) |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (304) | 2^4 × 19 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 02032026 · no palindrome in next 200 years |
| Sun declination | -7.53° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 73 days |