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21 December 2024
Holidays, observances, history and sky information for this date.
Holidays
No listed India public holiday for this date.
Observances
No UN observance in the current list for this date.
Selected anniversaries
Anniversary
2018 - Operatives of the British Special Boat Service boarded the container ship Grande Tema in the Thames Estuary to detain four stowaways who had threatened the crew.Special forces unit of the Royal Navy
Anniversary
2012 - Countries that were part of the Maya civilization celebrated the end-date of a 5,126-year-long cycle in the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar.Mesoamerican civilization (c. 2000 BC – 1697 AD)
Anniversary
1995 - In accordance with the Oslo II Accord, Israeli troops withdrew from Bethlehem in preparation for the transfer of control to the Palestinian National Authority.1995 agreement in the Israeli–Palestinian peace process
Anniversary
1994 - Mexico's Popocatépetl volcano, dormant for 47 years, began erupting, and is now one of the nation's most active volcanoes.Stratovolcano in Puebla, Mexico
Anniversary
1988 - The world's heaviest aircraft, the Antonov An-225 Mriya, made its first flight.Soviet/Ukrainian heavy strategic cargo aircraft
Historical events
History
2023 - Fourteen people are killed and 25 others injured during a mass shooting at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic.Mass murder in the Czech Republic
History
2022 - A Vega C rocket carrying two Pléiades Neo satellites fails after liftoff.European small-lift launch vehicle
History
2020 - A great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn occurs, with the two planets separated in the sky by 0.1 degrees. This is the closest conjunction between the two planets since 1623.Conjunction of the planets Jupiter and Saturn
History
2012 - 2012 phenomenon: Festivities are held in parts of Mesoamerica to commemorate the conclusion of b'ak'tun 13, a roughly 5,126-year-long cycle in the Mesoamerican Long Count Calendar whose passing many New Age spiritualists had earlier held to portend a variety of cataclysmic or transformative events.Eschatological beliefs about the year
History
2004 - Iraq War: A suicide bomber kills 22 at the forward operating base next to the main U.S. military airfield at Mosul, Iraq, the single deadliest suicide attack on American soldiers in Iraq.2003–2011 conflict in Iraq
History
1999 - The Spanish Civil Guard intercepts a van loaded with 950 kg of explosives that ETA intended to use to blow up Torre Picasso in Madrid, Spain.Gendarmerie of Spain
History
1999 - Cubana de Aviación Flight 1216 overshoots the runway at La Aurora International Airport, killing 18.1999 aviation accident
History
1995 - The city of Bethlehem passes from Israeli to Palestinian control.City in the West Bank, Palestine
History
1992 - A Dutch DC-10, flight Martinair MP 495, crashes at Faro Airport, Portugal, killing 56.Country in Northwestern Europe and the Caribbean
History
1991 - Dissolution of the Soviet Union: The leaders of 11 now effectively autonomous Soviet republics sign the Alma-Ata Protocol establishing the Commonwealth of Independent States in place of the collapsing Soviet Union.1988–1991 breakup of the sovereign state
Notable births
Born
2006 - Cooper Flagg, American basketball playerAmerican basketball player (born 2006)
Born
1997 - Charlie McAvoy, American ice hockey playerAmerican ice hockey player (born 1997)
Born
1994 - Luke Brooks, Australian rugby league playerAustralian rugby league footballer
Born
1992 - Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, American football playerAmerican football player (born 1992)
Notable deaths
Died
2024 - Michelle Botes, South African actress (born 1962)South African actress (1962–2024)
Died
2019 - Andrew Clennel Palmer, British engineer (born 1938)British engineer (1938–2019)
Died
2017 - Bruce McCandless II, US astronaut who conducted the first untethered spacewalk (born 1937)American aviator and astronaut (1937–2017)
Died
2014 - Udo Jürgens, Austrian-Swiss singer-songwriter and pianist (born 1934)Austrian singer and composer (1934–2014)
Died
2014 - Sitor Situmorang, Indonesian poet and author (born 1923)Indonesian poet
Died
2014 - Billie Whitelaw, English actress (born 1932)British actress (1932–2014)
Died
2013 - Edgar Bronfman Sr., Canadian-American businessman and philanthropist (born 1929)Canadian-American businessman (1929–2013)
Sky
Moon phase
Last Quarter
69.0% illuminated
Lunar age: 20.3 days
Sun zodiac
Capricorn
0.11 degrees
Constellation: Sagittarius
Moon zodiac
Virgo
14.49 degrees
Constellation: Leo
Astronomy events
Season
December SolsticeThe southernmost seasonal position of the Sun.