Thursday, 21st August 2025

Welcome to Thursday, 21st August! It's World Senior Citizens Day. Explore 52 historical events, birthdays, deaths, and milestones that shaped this day. From remarkable moments in local and world history to the people who left their mark — find out what makes today special. Tonight's moon is in its waxing gibbous 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 Thursday, 21st August.

Thursday, 21st August 2025 marks a date with considerable historical significance across multiple centuries and continents. In 1944, a combined Canadian and Polish force captured the town of Falaise, France, during the final offensive of the Battle of Normandy, representing a crucial turning point in the liberation of Western Europe during World War II. More recently, on this date in 2015, passengers aboard a Thalys train travelling from Amsterdam to Paris demonstrated civilian courage when they confronted and subdued an attacker who had attempted to carry out a mass shooting on the service.

The physicist Harry Daghlian stands out as a significant figure connected to this date, having suffered a tragic accident on 21st August 1945 when he accidentally dropped a tungsten carbide brick onto a plutonium bomb core, exposing himself to lethal neutron radiation. This incident at Los Alamos marked a watershed moment in scientific history, as Daghlian became the first Manhattan Project fatality resulting from a criticality accident. His death prompted a fundamental reassessment of safety protocols in nuclear research facilities worldwide.

On 21st August 2025, conditions show a waxing gibbous moon illuminating the night sky, whilst those born under the Leo zodiac sign approach the end of their astrological month. Weather patterns for the date should be checked locally, as conditions vary significantly depending on geographical location and seasonal patterns across the hemisphere. DayAtlas provides comprehensive information on weather conditions for any specified date and location, alongside historical events, notable births and deaths, offering users a detailed snapshot of any calendar date in history.

Explore everything about today 18th April.

21st August in the Stars – Star Sign Leo

Today, the zodiac sign Leo celebrates its birthday.

Personality Profile

Personality People born on August 21st blend Leo's natural warmth with Mars-driven ambition and courage. They're magnetic leaders who inspire rather than dominate through sheer will. Their combination of creativity and action-oriented focus creates an unusually dynamic presence.

Strengths & Weaknesses Their strengths include exceptional creativity, courage, and the ability to rally others around a vision. Weaknesses emerge as impatience and a tendency toward overconfidence when the Mars influence runs unchecked.

Love These individuals are passionate and fiercely loyal partners who seek intellectual and emotional compatibility. They thrive in relationships where honesty and mutual ambition are valued. Drama and intensity characterize their romantic connections.

Caree & Finance Career success comes through leadership roles, entrepreneurship, or creative enterprises where they can pioneer. Their drive builds wealth effectively, though impulsive spending habits need monitoring.

Health Vigorous physical activity channeling their Mars energy supports both body and mind. Meditation or creative pursuits help balance their intense nature and maintain emotional equilibrium.

That night, the moon was in its waxing gibbous phase.

Chinese year of the Snake (Wood).

Fun Facts About 21st August

Name Days in Your Language: Gianna, Jane, Janelle, Janessa, Janet, Janette, Janice, Janie, Janine, Janiya, Jayne, Shanice, Sheena

Someone born on this day would be just 240 days old today — roughly 5,770 hours, 346,213 minutes, or 20,772,792 seconds spent on Earth so far.

It's the 233. day of the year.

There are 132 days still to come.

We’re currently in Week 34 — the year marches on.

Famous Birthdays on 21st August

  • Kenji Fan, Hong Kong model and actor (2002)
  • Corbin Carroll, American baseball player (2000)
  • Maxim Knight, American actor (1999)
  • Karolína Muchová, Czech tennis player (1996)
  • Dominik Kubalík, Czech ice hockey player (1995)
  • Alexandra Cooper, American podcaster (1994)
  • Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu, British-Turkish reality television personality, actress and model (1994)
  • Millie Bright, English footballer (1993)
  • Mike Evans, American football player (1993)
  • Brandon Drury, American baseball player (1992)

Lives Remembered on 21st August

  • Nell McCafferty, Northern Irish journalist, playwright and civil rights campaigner (born 1944) (2024)
  • Bill Pascrell, American politician (born 1937) (2024)
  • John Amos, American actor (born 1939) (2024)
  • Celso Piña, Mexican singer, composer, arranger, and accordionist (born 1953) (2019)
  • Stefán Karl Stefánsson, Icelandic actor and singer (born 1975) (2018)

Celebrations & Special Days Worldwide on 21st August

  • Christian Feast Day: Abraham of Smolensk (Eastern Orthodox Church)
  • Christian Feast Day: Euprepius of Verona
  • Christian Feast Day: Maximilian of Antioch
  • Christian Feast Day: Our Lady of Knock
  • Christian Feast Day: Pope Pius X
  • Christian Feast Day: Sidonius Apollinaris
  • Christian Feast Day: August 21 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
  • Ninoy Aquino Day (Philippines)
  • Youth Day (Morocco)
  • World Senior Citizen's Day

What Happened on 21st August?

  • A solar eclipse traverses the continental United States. (2017)
  • Hundreds of people are reported killed by chemical attacks in the Ghouta region of Syria. (2013)
  • American golfer Tiger Woods wins the 82nd PGA Championship and becomes the first golfer since Ben Hogan in 1953 to win three majors in a calendar year. (2000)
  • Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 529, an Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia, attempts to divert to West Georgia Regional Airport after the left engine fails, but the aircraft crashes in Carroll County near Carrollton, Georgia, killing nine of the 29 people on board. (1995)
  • Royal Air Maroc Flight 630 crashes in Douar Izounine, Morocco, killing all 44 people on board. (1994)
  • NASA loses contact with the Mars Observer spacecraft. (1993)
  • Latvia declares renewal of its full independence after its occupation by the Soviet Union since 1940. (1991)
  • Coup attempt against Mikhail Gorbachev collapses. (1991)
  • The 6.9 Mw  Nepal earthquake shakes the Nepal–India border with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe), leaving 709–1,450 people killed and thousands injured. (1988)
  • Carbon dioxide gas erupts from volcanic Lake Nyos in Cameroon, killing up to 1,800 people within a 20-kilometre (12 mi) range. (1986)