What are the important events that happened on January 3? Here are historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.

January 3: Facts & Myths About This Day

January 3 is the 3^rd day of the year 2025 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 362 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Friday.

Under the Julian calendar, this day is December 21, 2024 – a Friday. Both day of the week are the same but did you notice the difference with the Gregorian calendar?

When this day started, 482,184 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 ‘trigon’ day.

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

According to the lunisolar Chinese calendar, there are 26 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 4,396 days since this fabled cataclysmic event.

January 3: This Day In History

The Perihelion, the point in the year when the Earth is closest to the Sun, occurs around this date.

January 3 Historical Events

• 1521 –
  Pope Leo X excommunicates Martin Luther in the papal bull Decet Romanum Pontificem.
• 1749 –
  The first issue of Berlingske, Denmark’s oldest continually operating newspaper, is published.
• 1888 –
  The refracting telescope at the Lick Observatory, measuring 91 cm in diameter, is used for the first time. It was the largest telescope in the world at the time.
• 1945 –
  World War II: Admiral Chester W. Nimitz is placed in command of all U.S. Naval forces in preparation for planned assaults against Iwo Jima and Okinawa in Japan.
• 1947 –
  Proceedings of the U.S. Congress are televised for the first time.
• 1953 –
  Frances P. Bolton and her son, Oliver from Ohio, become the first mother and son to serve simultaneously in the U.S. Congress.
• 1961 –
  Finland’s worst civilian aviation accident takes place when Aero Flight 311 crashes near Kvevlax, resulting in the deaths of all 25 people aboard.
• 1961 –
  The United States severs diplomatic relations with Cuba.
• 1977 –
  Apple Computer is incorporated.
• 1990 –
  Former leader of Panama Manuel Noriega surrenders to American forces.

Who were born on January 3?

• 1760 –
  John Storm, American Revolutionary soldier (d. 1835)
• 1836 –
  Sakamoto Ryōma, Japanese revolutionary (d. 1867)
• 1910 –
  Frenchy Bordagaray, American baseball player (d. 2000)
• 1943 –
  Jarl Alfredius, Swedish news anchor (d. 2009)
• 1949 –
  Sylvia Likens, American torture victim (d. 1965)
• 1963 –
  Vic Grimes, American professional wrestler
• 1970 –
  Matt Ross, American actor
• 1978 –
  Liya Kebede, Ethiopian model
• 1985 –
  John David Booty, American football player
• 1986 –
  Jessica O'Rourke, American footballer

Who died on January 3?

• 1882 –
  William Harrison Ainsworth, British novelist (b. 1805)
• 1943 –
  F. M. Cornford, English classical scholar and poet (b. 1874)
• 1980 –
  Lucien Buysse, Belgian cyclist (b. 1892)
• 1990 –
  Arthur Gold, American pianist (b. 1917)
• 2006 –
  Steve Rogers, Australian rugby league footballer (b. 1954)
• 2008 –
  Aleksandr Abdulov, Russian actor (b. 1953)
• 2009 –
  Pat Hingle, American actor (b. 1924)
• 2010 –
  Gustavo Becerra-Schmidt, Chilean composer (b. 1925)
• 2010 –
  Mary Daly, American theologian and feminist scholar (b. 1928)
• 2010 –
  Sir Ian Brownlie, British lawyer (b. 1932)