What are the important events that happened on December 8? Here are historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.

December 8: Facts & Myths About This Day

December 8 is the 343^rd day of the year 2024 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 23 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Sunday.

Under the Julian calendar, this day is November 25, 2024 – a Sunday. Both day of the week are the same but did you notice the difference with the Gregorian calendar?

When this day started, 481,560 hours has elapsed since midnight of January 1, 1970 – the Unix epoch.

Strange as it may, if we name this day after a polygon then it will be called ‘trihectatetracontatrigon’ day.

Sagittarius is the zodiac sign of a person born on this day. Turquoise is the modern birthstone for this month. Onyx is the mystical birthstone from Tibetan origin that dates back over a thousand years.

According to the lunisolar Chinese calendar, there are 52 days remaining before the start of the next Chinese New Year.

The ancient Maya civilization believes that the end of the world will happen on December 21, 2012. There are now 4,370 days since this fabled cataclysmic event.

December 8 Historical Events

• 1854 –
  In his Apostolic constitution Ineffabilis Deus, Pope Pius IX proclaims the dogmatic definition of Immaculate Conception, which holds that the Virgin Mary was born free of original sin.
• 1914 –
  A squadron of Britain’s Royal Navy defeats an inferior squadron of the Imperial German High Seas Fleet in the Battle of the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic.
• 1980 –
  John Lennon, an English musician (former member of The Beatles), and peace activist, is murdered by Mark David Chapman, a mentally unstable fan, in front of The Dakota apartment building in New York City.
• 1982 –
  In Suriname, several opponents of the military government are killed.
• 1987 –
  Frank Vitkovic shoots and kills eight people at the Australia Post building in Melbourne, before jumping to his death.
• 1987 –
  The Alianza Lima air disaster occurs.
• 1993 –
  The North American Free Trade Agreement is signed into law by US President Bill Clinton.
• 1998 –
  Eighty-one people are killed by armed groups in Algeria.
• 2002 –
  The Caribbean Community Heads of Government meet with the Government of Cuba and declare the date to be “CARICOM-Cuba Day”—to celebrate diplomatic ties between the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Cuba.
• 2007 –
  Benazir Bhutto, first and only female former Prime Minister of Pakistan, had her PPP Office stormed by unidentified gunmen. Three supporters are killed.

Who were born on December 8?

• 1941 –
  Bobby Elliott, English musician (Drummer for The Hollies)
• 1947 –
  Gérard Blanc, French singer
• 1949 –
  Robert Sternberg, American psychologist and psychometrician
• 1952 –
  Khaw Boon Wan, Singapore Health Minister
• 1964 –
  Chigusa Nagayo, Japanese wrestler
• 1970 –
  Me Phi Me, American rapper and author
• 1979 –
  Raymond Lam, Hong Kong actor and singer
• 1980 –
  Lisa Kelly, American reality television personality
• 1981 –
  Philip Rivers, American football player
• 1983 –
  Neel Jani, Swiss racing driver

Who died on December 8?

• 1691 –
  Richard Baxter, English clergyman (b. 1615)
• 1695 –
  Barthélemy d'Herbelot de Molainville, French orientalist (b. 1625)
• 1894 –
  Pafnuty Chebyshev, Russian mathematician (b. 1821)
• 1914 –
  Maximilian von Spee, German naval officer, in the Battle of the Falkland Islands (b. 1861)
• 1954 –
  Joseph B. Keenan, American political figure (b. 1888)
• 1971 –
  Eleni Ourani, Greek writer (b. 1896)
• 1996 –
  Howard Rollins, American actor (b. 1950)
• 1996 –
  Kashiwado Tsuyoshi, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 47th Yokozuna (b. 1938)
• 2006 –
  Martha Tilton, American singer (b. 1915)
• 2009 –
  Kenneth Biros, American murderer (b. 1958)