February 15 is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. In a common year there are 319 days remaining and in a leap year there are 320 days remaining, because February has an extra day in leap years. In the tropical zodiac, February 15 generally falls under the sign of Aquarius. The date occupies the middle third of February and lies in winter for the Northern Hemisphere and summer for the Southern Hemisphere.

Historical highlights

  • 1898 — The explosion of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor occurred on this date; the incident was a catalyst for the Spanish–American War.
  • 1965 — Canada raised the new Maple Leaf flag for the first time; this date is commemorated annually in Canada as National Flag of Canada Day.
  • 2003 — A series of coordinated global protests against the prospect of war in Iraq brought large demonstrations to many cities on February 15.

Observances and uses

Several public observances fall on or around February 15. International Childhood Cancer Day is recognized on this date to increase awareness of childhood cancers and to support affected families. In Canada, February 15 marks Flag Day, observed with ceremonies in schools and public institutions. The date is sometimes used for civic commemorations and anniversary remembrances tied to events that happened on the day.

Selected births and notable facts

  • Susan B. Anthony (born 1820) — American social reformer and women’s rights activist, commonly cited as having been born on February 15.
  • Matt Groening (born 1954) — American cartoonist and creator known for The Simpsons and Futurama, born on this date.
  • Some historical figures have birth or baptism dates recorded on February 15 in older sources; for persons born before calendar reforms, converting Julian-calendar dates to the Gregorian calendar can produce different modern dates.

Because dates occurring before the adoption of the Gregorian calendar (1582 and later in some countries) require careful conversion, historians often qualify early modern and medieval dates. February 15 serves as a regular point of reference in chronologies, lists of anniversaries, and cultural calendars, and it frequently appears in almanacs and annual chronologies of events.