March 9
March 9 is the 69th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 297 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 9 the Sun's declination is approximately -4.8°. 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 March 9.
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.
1497 — Nicolaus Copernicus made his earliest recorded astronomical observation, of the Moon occulting Aldebaran. ↗(529 years ago)more
Nicolaus Copernicus was a Renaissance polymath who formulated a model of the universe that placed the Sun rather than Earth at its center. The publication of Copernicus's model in his book De revolutionibus orbium coelestium, just before his death in 1543, was a major event in the history of science, triggering the Copernican Revolution and making a pione...
1796 — Napoleon Bonaparte married Joséphine de Beauharnais. ↗(230 years ago)more
Napoleon Bonaparte, later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was Emperor of the French from 18 May 1804 until his first abdication in 1814, with a brief restoration during the Hundred Days in 1815. He rose to prominence as a general during the French Revolution and led a series of military campaigns across Europe and the Middle East during the French Re...
1862 — American Civil War: the ironclads USS Monitor and CSS Virginia engaged at Hampton Roads. ↗(164 years ago)more
The Battle of Hampton Roads, also referred to as the Battle of the Monitor and Merrimack or the Battle of Ironclads, was a naval battle during the American Civil War.
1959 — The Barbie doll debuted at the American International Toy Fair in New York. ↗(67 years ago)more
Barbie is a fashion doll franchise created by American businesswoman Ruth Handler, manufactured by American toy and entertainment company Mattel and introduced on March 9, 1959. The toy was based on the German Bild Lilli doll which Handler had purchased while in Europe.
Notable births
1454 — Amerigo Vespucci, Italian explorer (the Americas were named for him). ↗(572 years ago)more
Amerigo Vespucci was an Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Florence after whom America is named.
1934 — Yuri Gagarin, first human in space. ↗(92 years ago)more
Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin was a Soviet pilot and cosmonaut who, aboard the first successful crewed spaceflight, became the first person to journey into outer space. Travelling on Vostok 1, Gagarin completed one orbit of Earth on 12 April 1961, with his flight taking 108 minutes.
Notable deaths
1997 — The Notorious B.I.G. (Christopher Wallace), American rapper. ↗(29 years ago)more
Christopher George Latore Wallace, known professionally as the Notorious B.I.G. or Biggie Smalls, was an American rapper and songwriter. Rooted in the East Coast hip-hop and gangsta rap traditions, he is widely considered one of the greatest rappers of all time.
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (69) | 3 × 23 · composite (no) |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (297) | 3^3 × 11 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 09032026 · no palindrome in next 200 years |
| Sun declination | -4.81° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 80 days |