Jul
August 2025
Sep
On This Day 4 mins Read

August 22: Facts & Historical Events On This Day

Did you know that on this day, August 22, 1989, the rings of Neptune were discovered by the Voyager 2 spacecraft?

Fact Checked Human Written Verified Sources Regularly Updated

August 22nd is known as Be An Angel Day & Tooth Fairy Day.

Welcome to day 234 of the year folks, there are 131 days remaining in 2025.

August 22 has certainly been an eventful day, and here we’re going to share with you some of the biggest (and strangest) events of all time that happened on this day.

Did you know that on this day, August 22, 1989, the rings of Neptune were discovered by the Voyager 2 spacecraft? Scientists had theorized about the rings, but this was the first definitive evidence of their existence.

Keep reading for more fun & interesting facts about August 22nd in history!

Historical Events

What memorable events happened on August 22 in history? Keep reading to find out!

Russia launched a robot called FEDOR to the International Space Station to work as a remote operator and carry out various tasks autonomously.

OTD in 2019: Russia launched a robot called FEDOR to the International Space Station to work as a remote operator and carry out various tasks autonomously.

FEDOR is a Russian-given male name and an acronym for "Final Experimental Demonstration Object Research."

A 50,000-year-old human bone was discovered in Siberia.

The toe bone belonged to a girl who was at least 13 years old when she died.

Instant divorce was banned in India, which became a giant leap forward for women’s rights in the country.

Both Russia and Vanuatu joined the World Trade Organization raising the total number of members to 157.

Storm Botnet sent a staggering 57 million emails.

OTD in 2007: Storm Botnet sent a staggering 57 million emails.

Storm Botnet was a remotely controlled network of "zombie computers" spread through email spam. Essentially the emails carry viruses, and in September 2007, Storm Botnet accounted for around 8% of malware found on Microsoft devices.

Two gunmen stole Edvard Munch’s paintings “The Scream” and “Madonna” from Much Museum in Oslo, Norway.

The two pieces were safely recovered in August 2006.

The rings of Neptune were discovered.

OTD in 1989: The rings of Neptune were discovered.

On this day, NASA's spacecraft Voyager 2 was approaching Neptune when images revealed a faint ring circling the planet.

Baseballer Nolan Ryan became the first pitcher to strike out 5,000 batters.

Nolan, who played for the Texas Rangers at the time, was pitching against Oakland Athletics' Rickey Henderson when he broke the record. He was later inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999.

Australia began selling its first platinum coin, featuring a Koala.

The value of the coin is 100 Australian dollars.

Theodore Roosevelt became the first US President to appear in an automobile publicly.

Mahatma Gandhi formed the Natal Indian Congress (NIC) to help fight discrimination.

Austria launched pilotless balloons against the city of Venice, which became the first air raid in history.

Ann Franklin became one of the first women newspaper publishers.

She became the sole editor and publisher for the Newport, Rhode Island newspaper called the Newport Mercury.

King Richard III died at the Battle of Bosworth, the ultimate battle in the Wars of the Roses.

OTD in 1485: King Richard III died at the Battle of Bosworth

King Richard III was the last English monarch to die in battle, losing to Henry VII, who then became King of England.

Famous Births

Are you celebrating your birthday today? If so, did you know that you share the same birthday as Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje? See what other famous people were born on this day.

1995

Dua Lipa

British Singer

Age

30 years old

Born IN

England, UK

1978

James Corden

English Comedian

Age

47 years old

Born IN

England, UK

1981

Ross Marquand

American Actor

Age

44 years old

Born IN

Colorado, USA

1967

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

Nigerian-English Actor

Age

58 years old

Born IN

England, UK

Birthday & Zodiac

Those of you who were born on this day share the Leo star sign.

Leos tend to be energetic and lead a busy life. They’re ambitious, creative, and optimistic and can use their minds to solve complex problems.

All those born in August have the Peridot birthstone. Peridots are commonly light green in color; however, if the gemstone contains more iron, the green will darken. In general, the darker gem is, the more valuable it becomes.

If you were born on August 22, it’s likely that you were conceived on November 29 in the previous year.

Babies conceived on this day will be due around May 15th, 2026.

Special Holidays

If you've got a few minutes spare today, why not celebrate these special holidays.

United States

National Be An Angel Day

If there were ever a day to put the needs of others ahead of your own, it would be National Be An Angel Day. Today everyone is encouraged to do something heroic, be extra kind & courteous, or simply be full of kindness and grace. Make someone’s day by being their angel!

United States

National Tooth Fairy Day

While the origins aren’t so clear, National Tooth Fairy Day was created to celebrate the wonder and joy that the Tooth Fairy brings to children's lives throughout the year. It’s also a great reminder to get your teeth checked by a dentist to stop the tooth fairy from visiting too often!

Fact Of The Day

Days Until

Your countdown to 2025's upcoming special days!

  • Halloween

    70 days

  • Christmas Day

    125 days

  • New Year's Day

    132 days

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About The Author

Luke Ward
Owner

Luke Ward is the owner of FactstoryHub. He has over 14 years of experience in researching, informative writing, fact-checking, SEO & web design. In his spare time, he loves to explore the world, drink coffee & attend trivia nights.

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