May 26
May 26 is the 147th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 219 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 26 the Sun's declination is approximately +21.3°. 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 26.
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.
1521 — Martin Luther was condemned by the Edict of Worms and made an outlaw. ↗(505 years ago)more
The Diet of Worms of 1521 was an imperial diet of the Holy Roman Empire called by Emperor Charles V and conducted in the Imperial Free City of Worms. Martin Luther was summoned to the diet in order to renounce or reaffirm his views in response to a Papal bull of Pope Leo X.
1828 — Mysterious feral child Kaspar Hauser appeared in Nuremberg. ↗(198 years ago)more
Kaspar Hauser was a German youth who claimed to have grown up in the total isolation of a darkened cell. His claims, and his subsequent death from a stab wound, sparked much debate and controversy both in Nuremberg and abroad.
1896 — The Dow Jones Industrial Average was first published, at 40.94. ↗(130 years ago)more
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), Dow Jones, or simply the Dow, is a stock market index of 30 prominent companies listed on stock exchanges in the United States.
1940 — World War II: the evacuation of Allied forces from Dunkirk (Operation Dynamo) began. ↗(86 years ago)more
In the Dunkirk evacuation, codenamed Operation Dynamo and also known as the Miracle of Dunkirk, or just Dunkirk, more than 338,000 Allied soldiers were evacuated during the Second World War from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk, in the north of France, between 26 May and 4 June 1940.
Notable births
1907 — John Wayne, American actor. ↗(119 years ago)more
Marion Robert Morrison, known professionally as John Wayne, was an American actor. Nicknamed "Duke", he became a popular icon through his starring roles in films which were produced during Hollywood's Golden Age, especially in Western and war movies.
1920 — Peggy Lee, American singer. ↗(106 years ago)more
Norma Deloris Egstrom, known professionally as Peggy Lee, was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, and actress whose career spanned seven decades. From her beginning as a vocalist on local radio to singing with Benny Goodman's big band, Lee created a sophisticated persona, writing music for films, acting, and recording conceptual record ...
Notable deaths
735 — Bede, English Benedictine monk and historian. ↗(1291 years ago)more
Bede, also known as the Venerable Bede or Bede the Venerable, was an English monk, author and scholar. He was one of the best known writers during the Early Middle Ages, and his most famous work, Ecclesiastical History of the English People, gained him the title "The Father of English History".
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (147) | 3 × 7^2 · composite (no) |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (219) | 3 × 73 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 26052026 · no palindrome in next 200 years |
| Sun declination | +21.26° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 25 days |