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Almanac - Monday 12/24/18

Come'on, which brand did you *think* I'd go with?? Sent from (the) stoopid iPhone of flickr user dennis crowley

Today is Monday, the 24th of December of 2018. It is the 358th day of the year.

There are seven days remaining until the end of the year.  86 days until spring begins

680 days until presidential elections Tuesday November 3, 2020

(1 year 10 months and 10 days from today)

The sun rises at 7:23 am 

and sunset will be at 4:57 pm.

Today we will have 9 hours and 34 minutes of daylight.

Solar noon will be at 12:10 pm.

The first high tide was at 1:13 am

and the next high tide will be at 11:54 am.

The first low tide will be at 5:45 am 

and the next low tide at 6:41 pm.

The Moon is 95.2% visible; a Waning Gibbous

Moon Direction: 266.20° W↑

Moon Altitude: 39.17°

Moon Distance: 224366 mi

Next New Moon: Saturday January 5, 2019 at 5:28 pm

Next Full Moon: Jan 20, 20199:16 pm

Next Moonset: Today at 9:12 am

Today is…

Christmas Eve

Last-Minute Shopper's Day

National Egg Nog Day

Today is also…

Aðfangadagskvöld, the day when the 13th and the last Yule Lad arrives to towns. in Iceland

Feast of the Seven Fishes for Italian Americans

Juleaften in Denmark/Julaften in Norway/Julafton in Sweden

Nittel Nacht in certain Orthodox Jewish denominations

Nochebuena in Spain and Spanish-speaking countries

The Declaration of Christmas Peace in the Old Great Square of Turku, Finland's official Christmas City

Wigilia in Poland

Independence Day in Libya

Day of Military Honour - Siege of Ismail in Russia

If today is your birthday, happy Birthday To You!  You share this day with…

1809 – Kit Carson, American general (d. 1868)

1905 – Howard Hughes, American businessman, engineer, and pilot (d. 1976)

1907 – I. F. Stone, American journalist and author (d. 1989)

1910 – Fritz Leiber, American author and poet (d. 1992)

1922 – Ava Gardner, American actress (d. 1990)

1946 – Jeff Sessions, American captain, lawyer, and politician, 44th Attorney General of Alabama and 84th Attorney General of the United States

1956 – Anil Kapoor, Indian actor and producer.

1961 – Wade Williams, American actor

1971 – Ricky Martin, Puerto Rican-American singer-songwriter and actor

1973 – Stephenie Meyer, American author and film producer, author of the Twilight series of books

…and on this day in history…

1777 – Kiritimati, also called Christmas Island, is discovered by James Cook.

1818 – The first performance of "Silent Night" takes place in the church of St. Nikolaus in Oberndorf, Austria.

1826 – The Eggnog Riot at the United States Military Academy begins that night, wrapping up the following morning.

1906 – RadioReginald Fessenden transmits the first radio broadcast; consisting of a poetry reading, a violin solo, and a speech.

1913 – The Italian Hall disaster in Calumet, Michigan results in the deaths of 73 Christmas party participants (including 59 children) when someone falsely yells "fire".

1914 – World War I: The "Christmas truce" begins.

1968 – Apollo program: The crew of Apollo 8 enters into orbit around the Moon, becoming the first humans to do so. They performed ten lunar orbits and broadcast live TV pictures.

1973 – District of Columbia Home Rule Act is passed, allowing residents of Washington, D.C. to elect their own local government.

1980 – Witnesses report the first of several sightings of unexplained lights near RAF Woodbridge, in Rendlesham ForestSuffolk, England, United Kingdom, an incident called "Britain's Roswell".