# On this day: February 15

February 15 is the 46th day of the year (46th in leap years), with 319 days left until the end of the year (320 in a leap year).

## February 15 in one line

Headline entries for February 15, from Wikipedia: in 1989, Soviet–Afghan War: The Soviet Union officially announces that all of its troops have left Afghanistan; born 1564: Galileo Galilei, Italian astronomer, physicist, and mathematician (died 1642); died 1988: Richard Feynman, American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1918). In 2026 it is a Sunday, in 2027 a Monday.

## Events on February 15

- 438 The Codex Theodosianus, a compilation of the laws of the Roman Empire, was published. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Theodosianus)
- 1113 Pope Paschal II issued the papal bull Pie postulatio voluntatis, formally recognising the establishment of the Knights Hospitaller. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pie_postulatio_voluntatis)
- 1493 Christopher Columbus wrote a letter widely distributed upon his return to Portugal that announced the results of his first voyage to the Americas. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbus's_letter_on_the_first_voyage)
- 1763 Prussia, Saxony and the Habsburg monarchy signed the Treaty of Hubertusburg, ending the Third Silesian War. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Silesian_War)
- 1796 French Revolutionary Wars: The invasion of Ceylon ended with Johan van Angelbeek, the Batavian governor of the island, surrendering Colombo to British forces. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Ceylon)
- 1823 James McBrien made the first official discovery of gold in Australia at Fish River in New South Wales. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_gold_rushes)
- 1898 The United States Navy battleship USS Maine exploded and sank in Havana, Cuba, killing more than 260 people and precipitating the Spanish–American War. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Maine_(1890))
- 1900 Second Boer War: British cavalry led by John French defeated Boer forces to end a 124-day siege of Kimberley in present-day South Africa. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Kimberley)
- 1906 A team of Italian archaeologists led by Ernesto Schiaparelli discovered the tomb of Kha and Merit, an ancient Egyptian foreman and his wife, in the workmen's village of Deir el-Medina. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomb_of_Kha_and_Merit)
- 1907 Japan and the United States signed a gentleman's agreement whereby the former would not permit further emigration to the U.S., while the latter would not limit Japanese immigration. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gentlemen's_Agreement_of_1907)
- 1915 Sepoys of Indian Muslim background mutinied against their British officers in Singapore. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1915_Singapore_Mutiny)
- 1940 The official premiere of Paul Creston's Saxophone Sonata took place at the Carnegie Chamber Hall, with saxophonist Cecil Leeson, who commissioned the work, and Creston on piano. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saxophone_Sonata_(Creston))
- 1942 Second World War: Japanese forces led by General Tomoyuki Yamashita captured Singapore with the largest surrender of British-led military personnel in history. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_Singapore)
- 1949 Gerald Lankester Harding and Roland de Vaux began excavations at Cave 1 of the Qumran Caves in the West Bank, the location of the first seven Dead Sea Scrolls. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qumran_Caves)
- 1961 All 72 people on board Sabena Flight 548, including the entire U.S. figure-skating team, and one person on the ground were killed when the aircraft crashed on approach to Brussels Airport. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabena_Flight_548)
- 1965 Canada adopted the Maple Leaf flag, replacing the Canadian Red Ensign. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Canada)
- 1976 The first constitution since the Cuban Revolution, providing for a system of government and law based on those of the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc countries, was adopted by a national referendum. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Cuba)
- 1979 Don Dunstan resigned as Premier of South Australia, ending a decade of sweeping social liberalisation. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Dunstan)
- 1982 Murder of four anti-apartheid student activists by South African government forces, who decades later were the first to be indicted for the crime of apartheid. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosas_Four)
- 1989 Soviet–Afghan War: The Soviet Union officially announces that all of its troops have left Afghanistan. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet%E2%80%93Afghan_War)
- 1995 Kevin Mitnick, the most wanted computer hacker at the time in the U.S., was arrested and charged with computer fraud and wire fraud. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Mitnick)
- 1996 A Long March 3B rocket carrying the communications satellite Intelsat 708 crashed immediately after launch from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, China, destroying a nearby town and killing an unknown number of inhabitants. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelsat_708)
- 1999 Abdullah Öcalan, one of the founding members of the militant organization the Kurdistan Workers' Party, was arrested by Turkish security forces in Nairobi, Kenya. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullah_%C3%96calan)
- 2003 In one of the largest anti-war rallies in history, millions around the world in approximately 800 cities took part in protests against the impending invasion of Iraq. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/15_February_2003_Iraq_War_protests)
- 2010 Two passenger trains collided in Halle, Belgium, when one driver failed to stop at a red signal, resulting in 19 deaths and 171 injuries. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halle_train_collision)
- 2013 A meteor exploded over Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia, producing a shock wave that injured about 1,500 people. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelyabinsk_meteor)
- 2018 Following nationwide protests, Hailemariam Desalegn announced his resignation as prime minister of Ethiopia, remaining in post as a caretaker until he was succeeded by Abiy Ahmed. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resignation_of_Hailemariam_Desalegn)

## Born on February 15

- 1564 Galileo Galilei, Italian astronomer, physicist, and mathematician (died 1642) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galileo_Galilei)
- 1710 Louis XV of France (died 1774) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_XV)
- 1748 Jeremy Bentham, English jurist and philosopher (died 1832) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Bentham)
- 1811 Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, Argentinian journalist and politician, 7th President of Argentina (died 1888) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domingo_Faustino_Sarmiento)
- 1820 Susan B. Anthony, American suffragist and activist (died 1906) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_B._Anthony)
- 1845 Elihu Root, American lawyer and politician, 38th United States Secretary of State, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1937) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elihu_Root)
- 1856 Emil Kraepelin, German psychiatrist and academic (died 1926) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emil_Kraepelin)
- 1861 Alfred North Whitehead, English mathematician and philosopher (died 1947) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_North_Whitehead)
- 1861 Charles Édouard Guillaume, Swiss-French physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1938) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles-%C3%89douard_Guillaume)
- 1873 Hans von Euler-Chelpin, German-Swedish biochemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1964) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_von_Euler-Chelpin)
- 1874 Ernest Shackleton, Anglo-Irish captain and explorer (died 1922) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Shackleton)
- 1890 Robert Ley, German politician (died 1945) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Ley)
- 1907 Cesar Romero, American actor (died 1994) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cesar_Romero)
- 1910 Irena Sendler, Polish nurse and humanitarian, Righteous Gentile (died 2008) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irena_Sendler)
- 1929 Graham Hill, English racing driver and businessman (died 1975) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham_Hill)
- 1934 Niklaus Wirth, Swiss computer scientist, created the Pascal programming language (died 2024) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niklaus_Wirth)
- 1951 Jane Seymour, English-American actress, producer, and jewelry designer [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Seymour_(actress))
- 1952 Tomislav Nikolić, Serbian politician, 4th President of Serbia [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomislav_Nikoli%C4%87)
- 1954 Matt Groening, American animator, producer, and screenwriter [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Groening)
- 1962 Milo Đukanović, Montenegrin politician, 29th Prime Minister of Montenegro [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milo_%C4%90ukanovi%C4%87)
- 1988 Rui Patrício, Portuguese footballer [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rui_Patr%C3%ADcio)
- 1995 Megan Thee Stallion, American rapper [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megan_Thee_Stallion)

## Died on February 15

- 1145 Lucius II, pope of the Catholic Church [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Lucius_II)
- 1152 Conrad III, king of Germany (born 1093) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conrad_III_of_Germany)
- 1637 Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor (born 1578) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_II%2C_Holy_Roman_Emperor)
- 1781 Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, German philosopher, author, and critic (born 1729) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotthold_Ephraim_Lessing)
- 1857 Mikhail Glinka, Russian composer (born 1804) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Glinka)
- 1869 Ghalib, Indian poet and educator (born 1796) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghalib)
- 1928 H. H. Asquith, English lawyer and politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (born 1852) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._H._Asquith)
- 1959 Owen Willans Richardson, English physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1879) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owen_Richardson)
- 1965 Nat King Cole, American singer and pianist (born 1919) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nat_King_Cole)
- 1984 Ethel Merman, American actress and singer (born 1908) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethel_Merman)
- 1988 Richard Feynman, American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1918) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Feynman)
- 1999 Henry Way Kendall, American physicist and mountaineer, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1926) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Way_Kendall)
- 2023 Raquel Welch, American actress and singer (born 1940) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raquel_Welch)
- 2026 Robert Duvall, American actor and filmmaker (born 1931) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Duvall)

## Holidays and observances

- Christian feast day: Blessed Michał Sopoćko [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micha%C5%82_Sopo%C4%87ko)
- Christian feast day: Claude de la Colombière [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_La_Colombi%C3%A8re)
- Christian feast day: Faustinus and Jovita [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faustinus_and_Jovita)
- Christian feast day: Oswiu [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oswiu)
- Christian feast day: Quinidius [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinidius)
- Christian feast day: Sigfrid of Sweden [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigfrid_of_Sweden)
- Christian feast day: Thomas Bray (Episcopal Church) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Bray)
- Christian feast day: Walfrid [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walfrid)
- Christian feast day: 21 Coptic Martyrs of Libya [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/21_Coptic_Christian_Martyrs_of_Libya)
- Christian feast day: February 15 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_15_(Eastern_Orthodox_liturgics))
- International Duties Memorial Day (Russia, regional) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holidays_in_Russia)
- John Frum Day (Vanuatu) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Frum)
- Liberation Day (Afghanistan) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberation_Day_(Afghanistan))
- National Flag of Canada Day (Canada) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Flag_of_Canada_Day)
- Parinirvana Day, also celebrated on February 8. (Mahayana Buddhism) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parinirvana_Day)
- Statehood Day (Serbia), also observed by the Republic of Srpska since 2025. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statehood_Day_(Serbia))
- Susan B. Anthony Day (Florida, United States) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_B._Anthony_Day)
- The ENIAC Day (Philadelphia, United States) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ENIAC)
- Total Defence Day (Singapore) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_Defence_(Singapore))

## Sources

- [Wikipedia — “February 15”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_15) — events, births, deaths and observances (text under CC BY-SA 4.0) (checked 2026-10-15)
- [Wikipedia — “Selected anniversaries/February 15”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Selected_anniversaries/February_15) — the anniversaries editors chose for the date and the article each one is about (checked 2026-10-15)
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/) — in how many language editions each entry's own article exists, used to fill the lists (CC0) (checked 2026-10-15)
- [vacanza/holidays (open-source holiday rules, MIT licence)](https://github.com/vacanza/holidays) — holiday rules used to build the lists (checked 2026-10-15)

The events, births, deaths and observances above are from the English Wikipedia article [“February 15”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_15) and the articles it links to ([authors and history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_15?action=history)), retrieved 2026-10-15 through the Wikimedia “On this day” feed. They are licensed under [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/); this selection is shared under the same licence. Every anniversary that Wikipedia's editors selected for February 15 stays on the list; the remaining places, up to 27 events, 22 births and 14 deaths, go to the entries whose own article — about the event itself, or else the person or thing it is about — appears in the most language editions (counted from Wikidata); an article about a person or thing, which covers far more than one day, counts half. An entry with no article of its own counts, also at half, by the least covered article it links, and one that links only places counts for nothing. The 1989 entry stays as well, and comes first in the one-line summary: we keep a short list, checked by hand, of widely known events that Wikipedia's editors leave out of their selection, usually because the article carries a maintenance notice. Each list runs by year, and the wording is unchanged apart from removing references to pictures, audio and video.

## February 15 in the calendar

| Year | Weekday | ISO week | Moon (UTC) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026 | Sunday | 2026-W07 | 🌘 Waning Crescent |
| 2027 | Monday | 2027-W07 | 🌔 Waxing Gibbous |
| 2028 | Tuesday | 2028-W07 | 🌖 Waning Gibbous |
| 2029 | Thursday | 2029-W07 | 🌒 Waxing Crescent |
| 2030 | Friday | 2030-W07 | 🌔 Waxing Gibbous |

Moon phases are for the day in UTC; at the edges of a phase your local date can differ.

## Public holidays on February 15

- [🇺🇸 United States](https://whathappen.today/holidays/united-states/): Washington's Birthday (2027)

[Today's holidays in 28 countries →](https://whathappen.today/holidays/)

## Nearby dates

[← February 14](https://whathappen.today/on-this-day/february-14/) · [February 16 →](https://whathappen.today/on-this-day/february-16/)

[All 366 days](https://whathappen.today/on-this-day/)

Last updated: 15 October 2026

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Web page: https://whathappen.today/on-this-day/february-15/