May 3
May 3 is the 124th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 242 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 3 the Sun's declination is approximately +15.8°. 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 3.
Position in the year
Holidays & observances
- World Press Freedom Day (UN)
- Constitution Day (Poland, Japan)
Events
A selection of widely-documented historical events that took place on this date. Years marked BCE follow standard astronomical convention.
1791 — The Constitution of May 3, 1791 was adopted by Poland — Europe's first modern codified constitution. ↗(235 years ago)more
The Constitution of 3 May 1791, titled the Government Act, was a written constitution for the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth that was adopted by the Great Sejm that met between 1788 and 1792. The Commonwealth was a dual monarchy comprising the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania; the new constitution was intended to address pol...
1937 — American author Margaret Mitchell won the Pulitzer Prize for Gone with the Wind. ↗(89 years ago)more
Margaret Munnerlyn Mitchell was an American novelist and journalist. Mitchell wrote only one novel that was published during her lifetime, the American Civil War-era novel Gone with the Wind, for which she won the National Book Award for Fiction for Most Distinguished Novel of 1936 and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1937.
1947 — The post-war Constitution of Japan came into effect. ↗(79 years ago)more
The Constitution of Japan is the supreme law of Japan. Written primarily by American civilian officials during the occupation of Japan after World War II, it was adopted on 3 November 1946 and came into effect on 3 May 1947, succeeding the Meiji Constitution of 1889. The constitution consists of a preamble and 103 articles grouped into 11 chapters.
1986 — The 100,000th McDonald's restaurant opened. ↗(40 years ago)more
McDonald's Corporation, doing business as McDonald's, is an American multinational fast food restaurant chain. As of 2024, it is the largest by revenue and second-largest by number of locations in the world, behind the Chinese chain Mixue Ice Cream & Tea.
Notable births
1469 — Niccolò Machiavelli, Italian political philosopher. ↗(557 years ago)more
Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli was a Florentine diplomat, author, philosopher, and historian who lived during the Italian Renaissance. He is best known for his political treatise The Prince, written around 1513 but not published until 1532, five years after his death.
1903 — Bing Crosby, American singer and actor. ↗(123 years ago)more
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. was an American singer and actor. One of the first multimedia stars, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. Crosby was a leader in record sales, network radio ratings, and motion picture grosses from 1926 to 1977. He was one of the first global cultural icons.
1933 — James Brown, American singer ("Godfather of Soul"). ↗(93 years ago)more
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, musician, and record producer. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th-century music, he is referred to by various nicknames, among them "Mr.
Notable deaths
1992 — George Murphy, American actor and senator. ↗(34 years ago)more
George Lloyd Murphy was an American actor and politician. Murphy was a song-and-dance leading man in many big-budget Hollywood musicals from 1930 to 1952. He was the president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1944 to 1946, and was awarded an honorary Oscar in 1951. Murphy served from 1965 to 1971 as U.S.
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (124) | 2^2 × 31 · composite (no) |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (242) | 2 × 11^2 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 03052026 · no palindrome in next 200 years |
| Sun declination | +15.81° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 48 days |