Today is Friday, the 24th of December of 2021
December 24 is the 358th day of the year
seven days remain until the end of the year.
85 days until spring begins
The sun will rise in San Francisco at 7:23:10 am
and sunset will be at 4:56:50 pm.
We will have 9 hours and 33 minutes of daylight.
The solar transit will be at 12:10:00 pm
The first high tide will be at 2:59 am at 4.86 feet
The first low tide will be at 7:57 am at 3.25 feet
The next high tide at 1:12 pm at 5.13 feet
and the final low tide at Ocean Beach tonight will be at 8:17 pm at zero feet.
The Moon is currently 75.0% visible
a Waning Gibbous moon
We’ll have the Last Quarter Moon in 3 days on Sunday the 26th of December of 2021 at 6:24 pm
Today is…
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
Nittel Nacht in certain Orthodox Jewish denominations
Nochebuena in Spain and Spanish-speaking countries
The Declaration of Christmas Peace on the Old Great Square of Turku, Finland's official Christmas City
Wigilia in Poland
Quviasukvik, the Inuit new year in Alaska, Canada, Greenland and Russia
Day of Military Honour – Siege of Ismail in Russia
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.
1871 – The opera Aida premieres in Cairo, Egypt.
1906 – Reginald Fessenden transmits the first radio broadcast; consisting of a poetry reading, a violin solo, and a speech.
1914 – World War I: The "Christmas truce" begins.
1929 – A four alarm fire breaks out in the West Wing of the White House in Washington, D.C.
1968 – 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.
….and if today is your birthday, Happy Birthday To You! You get to share birthday cake with…
1809 – Kit Carson, American general (died 1868)
1905 – Howard Hughes, American businessman, engineer, and pilot (died 1976)
1907 – I. F. Stone, American journalist and author (died 1989)
1910 – Fritz Leiber, American author and poet (died 1992)
1922 – Ava Gardner, American actress (died 1990)
1924 – Lee Dorsey, American singer-songwriter (died 1986)
1940 – Anthony Fauci, American physician, Director of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
1944 – Mike Curb, American businessman and politician, 42nd Lieutenant Governor of California
1944 – Woody Shaw, American trumpeter (died 1989)
1946 – Jeff Sessions, American lawyer and politician, 44th Attorney General of Alabama and 84th Attorney General of the United States
1956 – Anil Kapoor, Indian actor and producer.
1971 – Ricky Martin, Puerto Rican-American singer-songwriter and actor
1973 – Stephenie Meyer, American author and film producer
1974 – Ryan Seacrest, American radio host and television personality, and producer