What are the important events that happened on October 17? Here are historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.

October 17: Facts & Myths About This Day

October 17 is the 290^th day of the year 2025 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 75 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Friday.

Under the Julian calendar, this day is October 4, 2025 – a Friday. Both day of the week are the same but did you notice the difference with the Gregorian calendar?

When this day started, 489,072 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 ‘dihectaenneacontagon’ day.

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

According to the lunisolar Chinese calendar, there are 123 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 4,683 days since this fabled cataclysmic event.

October 17 Historical Events

• 539 BC –
  Cyrus the Great marches into the city of Babylon, releasing the Jews from almost 70 years of exile. Cyrus allows the Jews to return to Yehud Medinata and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem.
• 1604 –
  Kepler’s Star: German astronomer Johannes Kepler observes a supernova in the constellation Ophiuchus.
• 1806 –
  Former leader of the Haitian Revolution, Emperor Jacques I of Haiti is assassinated after an oppressive rule.
• 1888 –
  Thomas Edison files a patent for the Optical Phonograph (the first movie).
• 1933 –
  Albert Einstein flees Nazi Germany and moves to the United States.
• 1956 –
  The first commercial nuclear power station is officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II in Sellafield,in Cumbria, England.
• 1970 –
  Montreal, Quebec: Quebec Vice-Premier and Minister of Labour Pierre Laporte murdered by members of the FLQ terrorist group.
• 1979 –
  The Department of Education Organization Act is signed into law creating the US Department of Education and US Department of Health and Human Services.
• 1994 –
  Russian journalist Dmitry Kholodov is assassinated while investigating corruption in the armed forces.
• 2001 –
  Israeli tourism minister Rehavam Ze'evi became the first Israeli minister to be assassinated in a terrorist attack.

Who were born on October 17?

• 1898 –
  Shinichi Suzuki, Japanese violin teacher (d. 1998)
• 1914 –
  Jerry Siegel, American cartoonist (d. 1996)
• 1919 –
  Isaak Markovich Khalatnikov, Russian physicist
• 1921 –
  Maria Gorokhovskaya, Soviet gymnast (d. 2001)
• 1931 –
  Ernst Hinterberger, Austrian writer
• 1933 –
  Bill Anders, American astronaut
• 1933 –
  Jeanine Deckers, Belgian nun (d. 1985)
• 1946 –
  Drusilla Modjeska, Australian writer and editor
• 1958 –
  Alan Jackson, American singer and songwriter
• 1974 –
  Janne Puurtinen, Finnish keyboardist (HIM)

Who died on October 17?

• 1616 –
  John Pitts, Catholic scholar and writer. (b. 1560)
• 1780 –
  William Cookworthy, English chemist (b. 1705)
• 1931 –
  Alfons Maria Jakob, German neurologist (b. 1884)
• 1943 –
  Stefan Starzyński, Polish politician (b. 1893)
• 1958 –
  Charlie Townsend, English cricketer (b. 1876)
• 1992 –
  Herman Johannes, Indonesian professor, scientist and politician (b. 1912)
• 1992 –
  Orestis Laskos, Greek film director, screenwriter and actor (b. 1908)
• 2002 –
  Aileen Riggin, American swimmer (b. 1906)
• 2004 –
  Uzi Hitman, Israeli singer (b. 1952)
• 2006 –
  Christopher Glenn, American newscaster (b. 1938)