May 16
May 16 is the 137th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 229 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 16 the Sun's declination is approximately +19.3°. 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 16.
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.
1771 — The Battle of Alamance, a brief skirmish, ended the War of the Regulation in North Carolina. ↗(255 years ago)more
The Battle of Alamance took place on May 16, 1771. It was the final confrontation of the Regulator Rebellion in colonial North Carolina. The rebellion was instigated because of various issues with the colonial government, and was primarily aimed at needed reforms to the Currency Act.
1866 — The U.S. Congress eliminated the half-dime coin and replaced it with the five-cent piece (the nickel). ↗(160 years ago)more
A nickel is a five-cent coin struck by the United States Mint. Composed of cupronickel, the piece has been issued since 1866. Its diameter is 0.835 inches (21.21 mm) and its thickness is 0.077 inches (1.95 mm). It is the second-lowest face-value physical unit of U.S. currency, after the penny.
1929 — The first Academy Awards ("Oscars") were presented in Los Angeles. ↗(97 years ago)more
The 1st Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) and hosted by AMPAS president Douglas Fairbanks, honored the best films from August 1, 1927, to July 31, 1928, and took place on May 16, 1929, at a private dinner held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles, California.
1975 — Junko Tabei of Japan became the first woman to summit Mount Everest. ↗(51 years ago)more
Junko Tabei was a Japanese mountaineer, author and teacher. She was the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest and ascend the Seven Summits, climbing the highest peak on every continent.
Notable births
1801 — William H. Seward, U.S. Secretary of State. ↗(225 years ago)more
William Henry Seward was an American politician who served as United States Secretary of State from 1861 to 1869 and earlier served as governor of New York and as a United States senator. A determined opponent of the spread of slavery in the years leading up to the American Civil War, he was prominent in the Republican Party in its formative years and was...
1953 — Pierce Brosnan, Irish actor. ↗(73 years ago)more
Pierce Brendan Brosnan is an Irish actor. He achieved worldwide fame playing the lead role in four James Bond films from 1995 to 2002: GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Day. Brosnan has also received two Golden Globe Award nominations for Nancy Astor (1982) and The Matador (2005).
Notable deaths
1990 — Jim Henson, American puppeteer (Muppets). ↗(36 years ago)more
James Maury Henson was an American puppeteer, actor, animator, creative producer, and director who achieved worldwide notability as the creator of the Muppets. Henson was also well known for creating Fraggle Rock (1983–1987) and as the director of The Dark Crystal (1982) and Labyrinth (1986), as well as creating the Muppets for Sesame Street (1969–present).
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (137) | 137 · prime |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (229) | 229 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 16052026 · no palindrome in next 200 years |
| Sun declination | +19.26° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 35 days |