Tuesday, 12th February 1952 in London
Welcome to your daily snapshot of London! It's Darwin Day and International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Explore 50 historical events, birthdays, deaths, and milestones that shaped this day in London. 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 London brings drizzly with temperatures between -3°C and 4°C. Tonight's moon is in its new moon phase, and the zodiac sign of the day is Aquarius. If you're curious about the history of a day — this page brings together everything worth knowing about this Tuesday, 12th February in London, GB.
On 12 February 1952, London experienced drizzly conditions beneath a new moon, a date that fell under the Aquarius zodiac sign. The capital city, situated on the Thames in south-east England, serves as the political and cultural centre of the United Kingdom and has been a significant hub for historical events across centuries. The atmospheric conditions that day reflected the typically grey British winter weather common to the season.
Among notable events marking 12 February across history, the 1994 theft of Edvard Munch's painting The Scream from the National Gallery of Norway stands as a significant cultural incident that captured international attention. The Expressionist masterpiece, stolen by Norwegian art thieves, became one of the most famous art heists of the modern era and was later recovered. In more recent times, the 2001 landing of NASA's NEAR Shoemaker space probe on the asteroid Eros represented a major achievement in space exploration, marking the first successful landing of a spacecraft on an asteroid.
DayAtlas provides comprehensive information about historical events, weather conditions, and notable births and deaths for any specified date and location. Users can explore how weather patterns coincided with significant moments in history, whilst accessing detailed records of events spanning centuries. The platform enables researchers, historians and general users to understand the broader context surrounding specific dates and places.
Find out what's happening today in London.
What the Weather Had in Store for London on 12th February 1952
February teaches: life requires pauses to sprout again.
Fortune of the Day
12th February in the Stars – Star Sign Pisces
Personality Profile
Personality Those born on 12 February blend Aquarius innovation with Mercury's intellectual sharpness. They think in systems, communicate with precision, and spot future possibilities where others see limitations. Their eccentricity feels genuine because it flows naturally.
Strengths & Weaknesses Strengths: analytical, inventive, socially conscious, and adaptable. Weaknesses: can seem emotionally detached, occasionally dogmatic about beliefs, and jump between projects impulsively. Balancing intellect with intuition is their growth area.
Love These people crave mental stimulation and freedom in relationships. Deep conversations and shared visions matter more than traditional romance. A partner respecting their independence while matching their intellect genuinely wins them over.
Caree & Finance Ideal paths: technology, science, social work, design. Their ability to decode complex systems makes them valuable. Financially, they should curb impulse spending and build long-term strategies.
Health These natives thrive on mental challenge, not routine. Movement through innovation—dance, martial arts—motivates better than standard exercise. Calming nervous energy through meditation or creative outlets is essential.
That night, the moon was in its new moon phase.
Chinese year of the Dragon (Water).
Fun Facts About 12th February
Name Days in Your Language: Abra, Abraham, Abram, Bram, Darwin, Ibrahim
Someone born on this day in 1952 would be 74 years old today — just 27,082 days into life, which is roughly 649,968 hours, 38,998,115 minutes, or 2,339,886,904 seconds spent on Earth so far.
It's the 43. day of the year.
As this is a leap year, there are 323 days still to come.
We’re currently in Week 7 — the year marches on.
Famous Birthdays on 12th February
- Bill Laswell, American musician and producer (1955)
- Chet Lemon, American baseball player and coach (1955)
- Zach Grenier, American actor (1954)
- Joseph Jordania, Georgian-Australian musicologist and academic (1954)
- Tzimis Panousis, Greek comedian, singer, and author (died 2018) (1954)
- Phil Zimmermann, American cryptographer and programmer (1954)
- Joanna Kerns, American actress and director (1953)
- Simon MacCorkindale, English actor, director, and producer (died 2010) (1952)
- Michael McDonald, American singer-songwriter and keyboard player (1952)
- Angelo Branduardi, Italian singer-songwriter and guitarist (1950)
Lives Remembered on 12th February
- Ivan Reitman, Slovak-Canadian actor, director, and producer (born 1946) (2022)
- Christie Blatchford, Canadian newspaper columnist, journalist and broadcaster (born 1951) (2020)
- Geert Hofstede, Dutch social psychologist (born 1928) (2020)
- Gordon Banks, English footballer (born 1937) (2019)
- Lyndon LaRouche, American political activist (born 1922) (2019)
- Pedro Morales, Puerto Rican professional wrestler and commentator (born 1942) (2019)
- Bill Crider, American author (born 1941) (2018)
- Al Jarreau, American singer (born 1940) (2017)
- Anna Marguerite McCann, first female American underwater archaeologist (born 1933) (2017)
- Dominique D'Onofrio, Italian-Belgian footballer and coach (born 1953) (2016)
Celebrations & Special Days Worldwide on 12th February
- Christian feast day: Benedict of Aniane
- Christian feast day: Julian the Hospitaller
- Christian feast day: Martyrs of Abitinae
- Christian feast day: Meletius of Antioch
- Christian feast day: February 12 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- Georgia Day (Georgia (U.S. state))
- Lincoln's Birthday (United States)
- Red Hand Day (United Nations)
- Union Day (Myanmar)
What Happened on 12th February?
- The largest observed iron meteorite until that time creates an impact crater in Sikhote-Alin, in the Soviet Union. (1947)
- Christian Dior unveils a "New Look", helping Paris regain its position as the capital of the fashion world. (1947)
- World War II: Operation Deadlight ends after scuttling 121 of 154 captured U-boats. (1946)
- African American United States Army veteran Isaac Woodard is severely beaten by a South Carolina police officer to the point where he loses his vision in both eyes. The incident later galvanizes the civil rights movement and partially inspires Orson Welles' film Touch of Evil. (1946)
- A devastating tornado outbreak in Mississippi and Alabama kills 45 people and injures 427 others. (1945)