September 9
September 9 is the 253rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 113 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 9 the Sun's declination is approximately +4.2°. 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 September 9.
Position in the year
Holidays & observances
- Christian feast day: Charles Lowder (Church of England)
- Christian feast day: Ciarán of Clonmacnoise
- Christian feast day: Frédéric Ozanam
- Christian feast day: Constance, Nun, and her Companions (Episcopal Church)
- Christian feast day: Our Lady of Arantzazu (Oñati)
Events
A selection of widely-documented historical events that took place on this date. Years marked BCE follow standard astronomical convention.
2025 — Six people are killed when Israel carries out an airstrike on Doha in a failed attempt to decapitate the Hamas leadership. ↗(1 years ago)more
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. It is bordered by Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan to the east, and Egypt to the southwest. Israel illegally occupies the West Bank and the Gaza Strip of the Palestinian territories, as well as the Syrian Golan Heights.
2025 — Several Russian drones incur on Polish airspace and are subsequently shot down, marking the first time a NATO member has engaged Russian military assets. ↗(1 years ago)more
On 9 September 2025, about 11:30 p.m. CEST, 19 to 23 unarmed military drones entered Poland's airspace after allegedly being launched from Russia. The incursion triggered a Quick Reaction Alert; the Polish Air Force and other NATO militaries scrambled aircraft. Up to four drones were confirmed to have been shot down, most by the Dutch Air Force.
2016 — The government of North Korea conducts its fifth and reportedly biggest nuclear test. World leaders condemn the act, with South Korea calling it 'maniacal recklessness'. ↗(10 years ago)more
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu (Amnok) and Tumen rivers, and South Korea to the south at the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
2015 — Elizabeth II becomes the longest reigning monarch of the United Kingdom. ↗(11 years ago)more
Elizabeth II was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during her lifetime and was the monarch of 15 realms at her death.
2014 — The album Songs of Innocence by U2 is digitally released at no charge to all customers of the iTunes Music Store, appearing automatically in the 'purchased' section of over 500 million users worldwide. ↗(12 years ago)more
Songs of Innocence is the thirteenth studio album by the Irish rock band U2, released on 9 September 2014. It was produced by Danger Mouse, with additional production from Paul Epworth, Ryan Tedder, Declan Gaffney, and Flood.
2012 — The Indian space agency puts into orbit its heaviest foreign satellite yet, in a streak of 21 consecutive successful PSLV launches. ↗(14 years ago)more
The Indian Space Research Organisation is the national space agency of India, headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka. It serves as the principal research and development arm of the Department of Space (DoS), overseen by the Prime Minister of India, with the Chairman of ISRO also serving as the chief executive of the DoS.
- 2012 — A wave of attacks kills more than 100 people and injure 350 others across Iraq. ↗(14 years ago)
more
The 9 September 2012 Iraq attacks were a series of coordinated bombings and shootings across the capital Baghdad and several major cities in the north and south of the country. At least 108 people were killed and 371 injured in the first major insurgent action since a similar wave of violence almost a month earlier.
2009 — The Dubai Metro, the first urban train network in the Arabian Peninsula, is ceremonially inaugurated. ↗(17 years ago)more
The Dubai Metro is a rapid transit system in the city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The metro system consists of a network of two main lines: the Red Line and the Green Line. A third line, the Blue Line, is scheduled to open in 2029. A fourth line, the Gold Line, was announced on 22 April 2026, and is scheduled to open in 2032.
2006 — Space Shuttle Program: Space Shuttle Atlantis is launched on STS-115 to resume assembling the International Space Station. It is the first ISS assembly mission after the Columbia disaster back in 2003. ↗(20 years ago)more
Space Shuttle Atlantis is a retired Space Shuttle orbiter vehicle which belongs to NASA, the spaceflight and space exploration agency of the United States. Atlantis was manufactured by the Rockwell International company in Southern California and was delivered to the Kennedy Space Center in Eastern Florida in April 1985.
2001 — Ahmad Shah Massoud, leader of the Northern Alliance, is assassinated in Afghanistan by two al-Qaeda assassins who claimed to be Arab journalists wanting an interview. ↗(25 years ago)more
Ahmad Shah Massoud was an Afghan military leader and politician. Known as the "Lion of Panjshir", he was the foremost commander of the Afghan mujahideen against Soviet occupation during the Soviet–Afghan War from 1979 to 1989.
1994 — Space Shuttle program: Space Shuttle Discovery is launched on STS-64. ↗(32 years ago)more
The Space Shuttle program was the fourth human spaceflight program carried out by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which accomplished routine transportation for Earth-to-orbit crew and cargo from 1981 to 2011.
- 1993 — Israeli–Palestinian peace process: The Palestine Liberation Organization officially recognizes Israel as a legitimate state. ↗(33 years ago)
more
Intermittent discussions are held by various parties and proposals put forward in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict through a peace process. Since the 1970s, there has been a parallel effort made to find terms upon which peace can be agreed to in both this conflict and the wider Arab–Israeli conflict.
Notable births
2003 — Luke Hughes, American ice hockey player ↗(23 years ago)more
Luke Warren Hughes is an American professional ice hockey player who is a defenseman for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played college ice hockey for two years with the University of Michigan of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), reaching the Frozen Four both seasons.
2001 — Hailey Van Lith, American basketball player ↗(25 years ago)more
Hailey Ann Van Lith is an American professional basketball player for the Chicago Sky of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She played college basketball for the Louisville Cardinals, LSU Tigers, and TCU Horned Frogs.
2000 — Ricky Pearsall, American football player ↗(26 years ago)more
Richard Pearsall Jr. is an American professional football wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Arizona State Sun Devils and Florida Gators. Pearsall was drafted by the 49ers in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft.
1998 — Jordan Nwora, Nigerian-American basketball player ↗(28 years ago)more
Jordan Ifeanyi Nwora is a Nigerian-American professional basketball player for Crvena zvezda of the Basketball League of Serbia (KLS), the ABA League and the EuroLeague. He played college basketball for the Louisville Cardinals. He plays internationally for the Nigeria men's national basketball team.
1996 — Gabby Williams, American-French basketball player ↗(30 years ago)more
Gabrielle Lisa Williams is an American-French professional basketball player for the Golden State Valkyries of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and for Fenerbahçe of the Turkish Super League and EuroLeague Women. She was drafted 4th overall by the Chicago Sky in the 2018 WNBA draft.
1994 — Clinton Gutherson, Australian rugby league player ↗(32 years ago)more
Clinton Gutherson is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a fullback for and is the co-captain of the St. George Illawarra Dragons the National Rugby League.
Notable deaths
- 2025 — Mark Norell, American vertebrate paleontologist (born 1957). ↗(1 years ago)
more
Mark Allen Norell was an American vertebrate paleontologist. He was the chairman of paleontology and a research associate at the American Museum of Natural History up until his death in 2025. He is best known as the discoverer of the first theropod embryo and for the description of feathered dinosaurs.
2024 — John Cassaday, American comic book artist and writer (born 1971) ↗(2 years ago)more
Johnny Mac Cassaday was an American comic book artist, writer, and television director. He was best known for his work on the critically acclaimed Planetary with writer Warren Ellis, where his art style conveyed a sense of realism despite that book's fantastical settings.
2024 — James Earl Jones, American actor (born 1931) ↗(2 years ago)more
James Earl Jones was an American actor. A pioneer for black actors in the entertainment industry, he was acclaimed for his performances on stage and screen. Jones is one of the few performers to achieve the EGOT.
2024 — Caterina Valente, Italian-French singer and dancer (born 1931) ↗(2 years ago)more
Caterina Germaine Maria Valente was an Italian-French multilingual singer, guitarist, and dancer. She spoke six languages and sang in thirteen. While she was best known as a performer in Europe, Valente spent part of her career in the United States, where she performed alongside Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Perry Como, and Ella Fitzgerald, among others.
2015 — Annemarie Bostroem, German poet, playwright, and songwriter (born 1922) ↗(11 years ago)more
Annemarie Bostroem was a German poet, playwright, and lyricist. She lived most recently in the Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood of Berlin.
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (253) | 11 × 23 · composite (no) |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (113) | 113 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 09092026 · no palindrome in next 200 years |
| Sun declination | +4.21° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 81 days |