May 10
May 10 is the 131st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 235 days remain until the year's end. It falls in spring (northern hemisphere) and under the astrological sign of Taurus.
External references
Curated jump-off points to the major almanacs, encyclopaedias and primary sources for this date.
Astronomy
On May 10 the Sun's declination is approximately +17.8°. 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 May 10.
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.
1869 — The First Transcontinental Railroad in the United States was completed at Promontory Summit, Utah, with the driving of the golden spike. ↗(157 years ago)more
America's first transcontinental railroad was a 1,911-mile (3,075 km) continuous railroad line built between 1863 and 1869 that connected the existing eastern U.S. rail network at Council Bluffs, Iowa, with the Pacific coast at the Oakland Long Wharf on San Francisco Bay.
1933 — The Nazi book burnings took place in Berlin and other German cities. ↗(93 years ago)more
The Nazi book burnings were a campaign conducted by the German Student Union to ceremonially burn books in Nazi Germany and Austria in the 1930s. The books targeted for burning were those viewed as being subversive or as representing ideologies opposed to Nazism.
1940 — Winston Churchill became British Prime Minister; Germany invaded the Low Countries. ↗(86 years ago)more
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill was a British statesman, military officer, and writer who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945, during the Second World War, and again from 1951 to 1955. For some 62 of the years between 1900 and 1964, he was a Member of Parliament (MP) and represented a total of five constituencies over that time.
1994 — Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as the first black President of South Africa. ↗(32 years ago)more
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid activist and statesman who was the first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was the country's first Black head of state and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election.
Notable births
1899 — Fred Astaire, American dancer and actor. ↗(127 years ago)more
Fred Astaire was an American dancer, actor, singer, musician, choreographer, and presenter, whose career in stage, film, and television spanned 76 years. He is widely regarded as the "greatest popular-music dancer of all time". He received an Honorary Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, three Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Grammy Award.
1957 — Sid Vicious, English bassist (Sex Pistols). ↗(69 years ago)more
John Simon Ritchie, better known by his stage name Sid Vicious, was an English musician, best known as the second bassist for the punk rock band Sex Pistols. After his death in 1979 at the age of 21, he remained an icon of the punk subculture; one of his friends noted that he embodied "everything in punk that was dark, decadent and nihilistic".
Notable deaths
1863 — Stonewall Jackson, Confederate general. ↗(163 years ago)more
Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson was a Confederate general and military officer who served during the American Civil War. He played a prominent role in nearly all military engagements in the eastern theater of the war until his death. Military historians regard him as one of the most gifted tactical commanders in U.S. history.
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (131) | 131 · prime |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (235) | 5 × 47 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 10052026 · no palindrome in next 200 years |
| Sun declination | +17.77° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 41 days |