May 22
May 22 is the 143rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 223 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 May 22 the Sun's declination is approximately +20.5°. 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 May 22.
Position in the year
Holidays & observances
- International Day for Biological Diversity (UN)
Events
A selection of widely-documented historical events that took place on this date. Years marked BCE follow standard astronomical convention.
1455 — The Wars of the Roses began with the First Battle of St Albans. ↗(571 years ago)more
The First Battle of St Albans took place on 22 May 1455, at St Albans, 22 miles (35 km) north of London, and traditionally marks the beginning of the Wars of the Roses in England. Richard, Duke of York, and his allies, the Neville Earls of Salisbury and Warwick, defeated a royal army commanded by Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset.
1819 — The SS Savannah departed Savannah, Georgia, on the first transatlantic voyage by a steamship. ↗(207 years ago)more
SS Savannah was an American hybrid sailing ship/sidewheel steamer built in 1818. She was the first steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean, transiting mainly under sail power from May to June 1819. In spite of this historic voyage, the great space taken up by her large engine and its fuel at the expense of cargo, and the public's anxiety over embracing her ...
1906 — The Wright brothers were granted U.S. Patent No. 821,393 for their flying machine. ↗(120 years ago)more
The Wright brothers, Orville Wright and Wilbur Wright, were American aviation pioneers generally credited with inventing, building, and flying the world's first successful airplane. They made the first controlled, sustained flight of an engine-powered, heavier-than-air aircraft with the Wright Flyer on December 17, 1903, four miles (6 km) south of Kitty H...
1972 — Ceylon adopted a new constitution and became the Republic of Sri Lanka. ↗(54 years ago)more
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It is located in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, and is separated from India by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait.
Notable births
1813 — Richard Wagner, German composer. ↗(213 years ago)more
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, theatre director, essayist, and conductor, best known for his operas, although his mature works are often referred to as music dramas. Unlike most composers, Wagner wrote both the libretti and the music for all of his stage works.
1859 — Arthur Conan Doyle, British author (Sherlock Holmes). ↗(167 years ago)more
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle was a British writer and physician. He is best known for his four novels and fifty-six short stories about the fictional consulting detective Sherlock Holmes and his assistant Dr.
Notable deaths
1885 — Victor Hugo, French novelist. ↗(141 years ago)more
Victor-Marie Hugo, vicomte Hugo was a French Romantic author, poet, essayist, playwright, journalist, human rights activist and politician.
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (143) | 11 × 13 · composite (no) |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (223) | 223 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 22052026 · no palindrome in next 200 years |
| Sun declination | +20.53° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 29 days |