May 8
May 8 is the 129th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 237 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 8 the Sun's declination is approximately +17.2°. 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 8.
Position in the year
Holidays & observances
- Victory in Europe Day (V-E Day, marking Germany's surrender in 1945)
- White Lotus Day (Theosophy)
Events
A selection of widely-documented historical events that took place on this date. Years marked BCE follow standard astronomical convention.
- 1429 — The Siege of Orléans ended with French victory under Joan of Arc. ↗(597 years ago)
more
Battle of Orléans or Siege of Orléans may refer to:Siege of Orléans (451), during the Hunnic invasion of Gaul Battle of Orléans (463), during the Gothic war against Aegidius Siege of Orléans (1428–1429), during the Hundred Years' War, first victory of Joan of Arc Siege of Orléans (1563), during the French Wars of Religion Battle of Orléans, during the Fra...
1886 — Coca-Cola was first sold to the public at a soda fountain in Atlanta. ↗(140 years ago)more
Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a cola soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. In 2013, Coke products were sold in over 200 countries and territories worldwide, with consumers drinking more than 1.8 billion company beverage servings each day. Coca-Cola ranked No. 94 in the 2024 Fortune 500 list of the largest United States corporations by revenue.
1945 — V-E Day: World War II in Europe officially ended. ↗(81 years ago)more
Victory in Europe Day is the day celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on Tuesday, 8 May 1945; it marked the official surrender of all German military operations.
1980 — The World Health Organization announced the eradication of smallpox. ↗(46 years ago)more
Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by Variola virus, which belongs to the genus Orthopoxvirus. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (WHO) certified the global eradication of the disease in 1980, making smallpox the only human disease to have been eradicated.
Notable births
1828 — Henry Dunant, Swiss founder of the Red Cross and first Nobel Peace laureate. ↗(198 years ago)more
Henry Dunant, also known as Henri Dunant, was a Swiss humanitarian, businessman, social activist, and co-founder of the Red Cross. His humanitarian efforts won him the first Nobel Peace Prize in 1901.
1884 — Harry S. Truman, 33rd U.S. President. ↗(142 years ago)more
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. As the 34th vice president in 1945, he assumed the presidency upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt that year. Subsequently, Truman implemented the Marshall Plan in the aftermath of World War II to rebuild the economy of Western Europe, and established both the Truma...
1940 — Peter Benchley, American author (Jaws). ↗(86 years ago)more
Peter Bradford Benchley was an American author. He is best known for his bestselling novel Jaws and co-wrote its movie adaptation with Carl Gottlieb. Several more of his works were also adapted for both cinema and television, including The Deep, The Island, Beast, and White Shark.
Notable deaths
1873 — John Stuart Mill, English philosopher. ↗(153 years ago)more
John Stuart Mill was an English philosopher, political economist, politician and civil servant. One of the most influential thinkers in the history of liberalism and social liberalism, he contributed widely to social theory, political theory, and political economy.
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (129) | 3 × 43 · composite (no) |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (237) | 3 × 79 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 08052026 · no palindrome in next 200 years |
| Sun declination | +17.24° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 43 days |