July 16 is the 197th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar and the 198th in leap years. There are 168 days remaining until the end of the year. The date falls in mid‑July, a summer month in the Northern Hemisphere and winter in the Southern Hemisphere, and it lies within the middle of the third quarter of the year.
Calendar facts
The day is counted according to the Gregorian calendar, which is the civil calendar used in most of the world. In leap years an extra day is added to February, making July 16 the 198th day. Because of the way months and weeks distribute across years, July 16 can fall on any day of the week and does not have a fixed weekday pattern.
Notable events
- July 16, 1945 — The Trinity test, the first detonation of a nuclear weapon, took place in New Mexico as part of the Manhattan Project, a major event in 20th‑century history.
- July 16, 1969 — The Apollo 11 mission launched from Cape Kennedy (now Cape Canaveral), carrying astronauts who would make the first crewed landing on the Moon a few days later; this launch is widely remembered in space exploration history.
Observances and traditions
- July 16 is the traditional date of the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in the Roman Catholic Church, a Marian feast with historical roots in the Carmelite order.
- Other national, local or cultural observances may be scheduled on this date; some commemorations move with local calendars or secular designations rather than being fixed to July 16.
As with any calendar date, July 16 is associated with many other events, births and deaths across history. For summaries and detailed year‑by‑year lists it is common to consult chronological references and annual day‑by‑day compendia. For information about how leap years affect the position of the date, see leap years.