Wednesday, 20th August 2008 in Madrid
Welcome to your daily snapshot of Madrid! It's World Mosquito Day. Explore 61 historical events, birthdays, deaths, and milestones that shaped this day in Madrid. From remarkable moments in local and world history to the people who left their mark — find out what makes today special. Today's weather in Madrid brings sunny with temperatures between 16°C and 30°C. Tonight's moon is in its waxing crescent phase, and the zodiac sign of the day is Leo. If you're curious about the history of a day — this page brings together everything worth knowing about this Wednesday, 20th August in Madrid, ES.
On Wednesday, 20 August 2008, Madrid experienced sunny weather under a waxing crescent moon, with the city positioned in the Leo zodiac period. The Spanish capital, situated on the central plateau of the Iberian Peninsula, serves as both the country's political centre and its largest urban area. This date marks significant historical moments, including the tragic crash of Spanair Flight 5022 just after take-off from Madrid's Barajas Airport, which claimed 154 lives and remains one of Spain's deadliest aviation disasters.
The events recorded on this calendar date span centuries of European and global history. In 2018, protestors toppled Silent Sam, a Confederate monument on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, an act that reflected broader conversations about historical commemoration in public spaces. The destruction of the Al-Shifa pharmaceutical factory in Sudan by United States missile strikes in 1998 and the sinking of the pleasure boat Marchioness in London's River Thames in 1989, which killed 51 people, also mark significant events associated with this date.
DayAtlas provides comprehensive historical information for any date and location, displaying weather conditions, notable events, and records of famous births and deaths throughout history. The platform enables users to explore what happened on specific dates across different geographical regions and time periods.
Find out what's happening today in Madrid.
What the Weather Had in Store for Madrid on 20th August 2008
Repetition reveals depths that single moments cannot reveal.
Fortune of the Day
20th August in the Stars – Star Sign Leo
Personality Profile
Personality People born on 20 August blend classic Leo boldness with Jupiter's expansive wisdom. They pursue grand visions and inspire others through infectious enthusiasm. An optimistic outlook and drive for personal growth deeply shape their character.
Strengths & Weaknesses Strengths include creativity, generosity, and natural leadership abilities. Jupiter's influence enhances intellectual curiosity and philosophical depth. Weaknesses emerge through overconfidence or attempting everything on a massive scale.
Love These natives seek partners who share their passion and ambitions. They love intensely and dramatically, yet crave intellectual substance too. Loyalty and admiration are essential for them to feel truly fulfilled.
Caree & Finance Well-suited to leadership roles, creative ventures, and entrepreneurship. Their expansive nature draws them toward influential projects and big-picture thinking. Financial generosity is a strength but requires conscious management.
Health Natural vitality and abundant energy characterize their physical constitution. Regular movement and creative expression keep them balanced. Channeling their intensity and avoiding burnout remain important priorities.
That night, the moon was in its waxing crescent phase.
Chinese year of the Rat (Earth).
Fun Facts About 20th August
Name Days in Your Language: Barnard, Bernard, Bernardo, Filbert, Philbert, Rey, Reyna, Reynalda, Reynaldo, Reynold
Someone born on this day in 2008 would be 17 years old today — just 6,455 days into life, which is roughly 154,942 hours, 9,296,525 minutes, or 557,791,513 seconds spent on Earth so far.
It's the 233. day of the year.
As this is a leap year, there are 133 days still to come.
We’re currently in Week 34 — the year marches on.
Famous Birthdays on 20th August
- Prince Gabriel of Belgium (2003)
- Lieke Klaver, Dutch track and field athlete (1998)
- Kaho Minagawa, Japanese rhythmic gymnast (1997)
- Daniel Vladař, Czech ice hockey player (1997)
- Bunty Afoa, New Zealand rugby league player (1996)
- Liana Liberato, American actress (1995)
- Mitchell Trubisky, American football player (1994)
- Tonisha Rock-Yaw, Barbadian netball player (1993)
- Matt Eisenhuth, Australian rugby league player (1992)
- Carolina Horta, Brazilian beach volleyball player (1992)
Lives Remembered on 20th August
- Ram Sharan Sharma, Indian historian and academic (born 1919) (2011)
- Đặng Phong, Vietnamese economist and historian (born 1937) (2010)
- Larry Knechtel, American keyboardist and bass player (born 1940) (2009)
- Karla Kuskin, American author and illustrator (born 1932) (2009)
- Ed Freeman, American soldier and pilot, Medal of Honor recipient (born 1927) (2008)
- Hua Guofeng, Chinese politician, 2nd Premier of the People's Republic of China (born 1921) (2008)
- Stephanie Tubbs Jones, American lawyer and politician (born 1949) (2008)
- Gene Upshaw, American football player (born 1945) (2008)
- Leona Helmsley, American businesswoman (born 1920) (2007)
- Bryan Budd, Northern Ireland-born English soldier, Victoria Cross recipient (born 1977) (2006)
Celebrations & Special Days Worldwide on 20th August
- Christian feast day: Amadour
- Christian feast day: Bernard of Clairvaux
- Christian feast day: Blessed Georg Häfner
- Christian feast day: Heliodorus of Bet Zabdai
- Christian feast day: Maria De Mattias
- Christian feast day: Oswine of Deira
- Christian feast day: Philibert of Jumièges
- Christian feast day: Samuel (prophet)
- Christian feast day: William and Catherine Booth (Church of England)
- Christian feast day: August 20 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- Feast of Asmá’ (Baháʼí Faith, only if Baháʼí Naw-Rúz falls on March 21)
- Indian Akshay Urja Day (India)
- Independence Restoration Day (Estonia), re-declaration of the independence of Estonia from the Soviet Union in 1991.
- Meitei Language Day, also known as Manipuri Language Day, the day on which Meitei (Manipuri) was included in the scheduled languages' list and made one of the official languages of India.
- Revolution of the King and the People (Morocco)
- Saint Stephen's Day (Hungary)
- World Mosquito Day
What Happened on 20th August?
- First Air Flight 6560 crashes 1 mile from the Resolute Bay runway, killing 12 of the 15 aboard. (2011)
- Spanair Flight 5022, from Madrid, Spain to Gran Canaria, skids off the runway and crashes at Barajas Airport. Of the 172 people on board, 146 die immediately, and eight more later die of injuries sustained in the crash. (2008)
- China Airlines Flight 120 catches fire and explodes after landing at Naha Airport in Okinawa, Japan. (2007)
- Sri Lankan Civil War: Sri Lankan Tamil politician and former MP S. Sivamaharajah is shot dead at his home in Tellippalai. (2006)
- A group of Iraqis opposed to the regime of Saddam Hussein take over the Iraqi embassy in Berlin, Germany for five hours before releasing their hostages and surrendering. (2002)