August is the eighth month of the year (between July and September) in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and one of seven months with a length of 31 days. In the Southern Hemisphere, August is the seasonal equivalent of February in the Northern Hemisphere.
August symbols: The birthstones of August are the peridot and sardonyx. Its birth flower is the gladiolus or poppy, meaning beauty, strength of character, love, marriage and family. The zodiac signs for the month of August are Leo (until August 22) and Virgo (from August 23 onwards).
Historical Events for August, 1981
Day of Week 1st » MTV begins broadcasting in the United States and airs its first video, "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles.
Day of Week 3rd » Senegalese opposition parties, under the leadership of Mamadou Dia, launch the Antiimperialist Action Front – Suxxali Reew Mi.
Day of Week 5th » President Ronald Reagan Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (1968) called fires 11,359 Strike action e.g striking air-traffic controllers who ignored his order for them to return to work.
Day of Week 7th » 'The Washington Star' ceases all operations after 128 years of publication.
Day of Week 19th » Gulf of Sidra incident (1981) Gulf of Sidra Incident: United States fighters intercept and shoot down two Libyan Air Force (1951–2011) Libyan Sukhoi Su-17 Sukhoi Su-22 fighter jets over the Gulf of Sidra.
Day of Week 24th » Mark David Chapman is sentenced to 20 years to life in prison for murdering John Lennon.
Day of Week 25th » Voyager 2 spacecraft makes its closest approach to Saturn