April 17
April 17 is the 108th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 258 days remain until the year's end. It falls in spring (northern hemisphere) and under the astrological sign of Aries.
External references
Curated jump-off points to the major almanacs, encyclopaedias and primary sources for this date.
Astronomy
On April 17 the Sun's declination is approximately +10.5°. 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 April 17.
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.
- 1492 — Christopher Columbus signed the Capitulations of Santa Fe with Spain, agreeing to fund his voyage west. ↗(534 years ago)
- 1961 — The Bay of Pigs Invasion: U.S.-trained Cuban exiles landed in Cuba intending to overthrow Fidel Castro; it failed. ↗(65 years ago)
- 1970 — Apollo 13 returned safely to Earth after its emergency. ↗(56 years ago)
- 1975 — Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh, beginning the rule of the Cambodian genocide regime. ↗(51 years ago)
Notable births
Notable deaths
- 1790 — Benjamin Franklin, U.S. Founding Father. ↗(236 years ago)
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (108) | 2^2 × 3^3 · composite (no) |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (258) | 2 × 3 × 43 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 17042026 · no palindrome in next 200 years |
| Sun declination | +10.51° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 64 days |