September 11
September 11 is the 255th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 111 days remain until the year's end. It falls in summer (northern hemisphere) and under the astrological sign of Virgo.
External references
Curated jump-off points to the major almanacs, encyclopaedias and primary sources for this date.
Astronomy
On September 11 the Sun's declination is approximately +3.4°. 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 September 11.
Position in the year
Holidays & observances
- Battle of Tendra Day (Russia)
- Christian feast days: Blessed Francesco Bonifacio
- Christian feast days: Deiniol
- Christian feast days: Felix, Regula, and Exuperantius
- Christian feast days: Harry Burleigh (Episcopal Church)
Events
A selection of widely-documented historical events that took place on this date. Years marked BCE follow standard astronomical convention.
2024 — Hurricane Francine impacts the Gulf of Mexico, as a Category 2 hurricane. ↗(2 years ago)more
Hurricane Francine was a moderately strong tropical cyclone that brought extensive flooding to parts of the Gulf of Mexico coast, especially Louisiana in September 2024. The sixth named storm and fourth hurricane of the annual season, its formation brought the end to a significant quiet period in tropical cyclone formation in the Atlantic.
2023 — The Libyan city of Derna experiences catastrophic floods after Storm Daniel causes two dams to collapse, killing thousands of people. ↗(3 years ago)more
Derna is a port city in eastern Libya. With a population of around 90,000, Derna was once the seat of one of the wealthiest provinces among the Barbary States. The city is now the administrative capital of Derna District, which covers a much smaller area than the old province.
2015 — A crane collapses onto the Masjid al-Haram mosque in Saudi Arabia, killing 111 people and injuring 394 others. ↗(11 years ago)more
A crawler crane collapsed over the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, around 5:10 p.m. on 11 September 2015, killing 111 people and injuring 394 others. The city was preparing for the Hajj pilgrimage.
- 2012 — A total of 315 people are killed in two garment factory fires in Pakistan. ↗(14 years ago)
more
Factories in Pakistan's two largest cities of Karachi and Lahore caught fire on 11 September 2012. The fires occurred in a textile factory in the western part of Karachi and in a shoe factory in Lahore.
2012 — The U.S. embassy in Benghazi, Libya is attacked, resulting in four deaths. ↗(14 years ago)more
Benghazi is the second-most-populous city in Libya as well as the largest city in Cyrenaica, with an estimated population of 859,000 in 2023. Located on the Gulf of Sidra in the Mediterranean, Benghazi is also a major seaport.
2011 — A dedication ceremony is held at the United States National September 11 Memorial on the 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks in New York City, and the memorial opens to family members. ↗(15 years ago)more
The National September 11 Memorial & Museum is a memorial and museum that are part of the World Trade Center complex, in New York City, created for remembering the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks which killed 2,977 people, as well as the February 26, 1993 World Trade Center bombing which killed six.
2008 — A major Channel Tunnel fire breaks out on a freight train, resulting in the closure of part of the tunnel for six months. ↗(18 years ago)more
On 11 September 2008, a France-bound Eurotunnel Shuttle train carrying heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and their drivers caught fire while travelling through the Channel Tunnel. The fire lasted for sixteen hours and reached temperatures of up to 1,000 °C (1,830 °F).
- 2007 — Russia tests the largest conventional weapon ever, the Father of All Bombs. ↗(19 years ago)
more
Conventional weapons or conventional arms are weapons whose damaging impact comes from kinetic, incendiary, or explosive energy. They stand in contrast to weapons of mass destruction.
2001 — The September 11 attacks, a series of coordinated terrorist attacks killing 2,977 people using four aircraft hijacked by 19 members of al-Qaeda. Two aircraft crash into the World Trade Center in New York City, a third crashes into The Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, and a fourth into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. ↗(25 years ago)more
The September 11 attacks, colloquially known as 9/11, were a coordinated series of suicide attacks perpetrated by the Islamist terrorist organization al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001. Nineteen terrorists hijacked four airliners, then flew one into each of the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center in New York City.
1997 — NASA's Mars Global Surveyor reaches Mars. ↗(29 years ago)more
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government responsible for the United States' civil space program and for research in aeronautics and space. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., NASA operates ten field centers across the U.S.
1997 — Kurkse tragedy: Fourteen Estonian soldiers of the Baltic Battalion are drowned or die of hypothermia during a training exercise in the Kurkse Strait. ↗(29 years ago)more
The Kurkse tragedy occurred on 11 September 1997, when 14 Estonian soldiers of the Baltic Battalion drowned in the Kurkse Strait during a dangerous training maneuver. The Kurkse tragedy is the deadliest accident in the Estonian Defence Forces since the country regained independence in 1991.
1997 — After a nationwide referendum, Scotland votes to establish a devolved parliament within the United Kingdom. ↗(29 years ago)more
The Scottish devolution referendum of 1997 was a pre-legislative referendum held in Scotland on 11 September 1997 over whether there was support for the creation of a Scottish Parliament with devolved powers, and whether the Parliament should have tax-varying powers.
Notable births
2001 — Joseph Fahnbulleh, Liberian-American sprinter ↗(25 years ago)more
Joseph Blowadeh Siafa Fahnbulleh is a Liberian-American sprinter. An Olympic finalist, Fahnbulleh is a double NCAA champion and finished fourth at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in the 200 meters race.
- 2001 — Nicholas Robertson, American ice hockey player ↗(25 years ago)
more
Nicholas Robertson is an American professional ice hockey player who is a left winger for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected 53rd overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2019 NHL entry draft. He made his NHL debut with the Maple Leafs during the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs, where he had one goal in four games.
2000 — Leandro Bolmaro, Argentine-Italian basketball player ↗(26 years ago)more
Leandro Nicolás Bolmaro is an Argentine-Italian professional basketball player for Olimpia Milano of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) and the EuroLeague. He also represents the senior Argentina national team.
2000 — Zay Flowers, American football player ↗(26 years ago)more
Xavien "Zay" Kevonn Flowers is an American professional football wide receiver for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Boston College Eagles and was selected by the Ravens in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft.
1996 — Ross Colton, American professional ice hockey player ↗(30 years ago)more
Ross Colton is an American professional ice hockey player who is a center for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Notable deaths
- 2025 — John D. Petersen, American chemist, educator, and academic administrator (born 1947) ↗(1 years ago)
more
John David Petersen was an American chemist, educator and academic administrator who was president of the University of Tennessee system.
2024 — Kenneth Cope, British actor (born 1931) ↗(2 years ago)more
Kenneth Charles Cope was an English actor and scriptwriter. He was best known for his roles as Marty Hopkirk in Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), Jed Stone in Coronation Street, Ray Hilton in Brookside, Sid in The Damned and as a minor member of the Carry On team.
2024 — Alberto Fujimori, Peruvian politician, professor, and engineer, President of Peru (born 1938) ↗(2 years ago)more
Alberto Kenya Fujimori Inomoto was a Peruvian politician, professor, and engineer who served as the president of Peru from 1990 to 2000. Born in Lima, Fujimori was the country's first president of Japanese descent, and was an agronomist and university rector prior to entering politics.
2024 — Chad McQueen, American actor and race car driver (born 1960) ↗(2 years ago)more
Chadwick Steven McQueen was an American actor, film producer, martial artist, and race car driver. He was the only son and last living child of actor Steve McQueen (1930–1980).
2024 — Joe Schmidt, American football player and coach (born 1932) ↗(2 years ago)more
Joseph Paul Schmidt was an American professional football player and coach. He played as a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Detroit Lions for 13 years from 1953 to 1965. He won two NFL championships with the Lions, and, between 1954 and 1963, he played in ten consecutive Pro Bowl games and was selected each year as a first-team All...
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (255) | 3 × 5 × 17 · composite (no) |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (111) | 3 × 37 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 11092026 · no palindrome in next 200 years |
| Sun declination | +3.42° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 83 days |