December is the twelfth and last month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars. It is one of seven months with the length of 31 days. December is the first month of meteorological winter in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, December is the seasonal equivalent to June in the Northern hemisphere, which is the first month of summer. December is the month with the shortest daylight hours of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the longest daylight hours of the year in the Southern Hemisphere.
December symbols: Its birth flower is the narcissus. The birthstones of December are the turquoise, zircon, and tanzanite. The zodiac signs for the month of December are Sagittarius (until December 21) and Capricorn (December 22 onwards).
Historical Events for December, 1999
Day of Week 2nd » Glenbrook rail accident named Glenbrook Rail Accident: Seven passengers are killed when two trains collide near Sydney, New South Wales.
2nd » The United Kingdom devolves political power in Northern Ireland to the Northern Ireland Executive.
Day of Week 3rd » NASA loses radio contact with the Mars Polar Lander moments before the spacecraft enters the Mars e.g Martian atmosphere.
3rd » Six firefighters are killed in the Worcester Cold Storage Warehouse fire in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Day of Week 7th » 'A&M Records, Inc. v. Napster, Inc., 114 F.Supp.2d 896 e.g A&M Records, Inc. v. Napster, Inc.': The Recording Industry Association of America sues the peer-to-peer file sharing called file-sharing service Napster, alleging copyright infringement.
Day of Week 20th » Macau is Transfer of sovereignty over Macau called handed over to China by Portugal.
Day of Week 21st » The Civil Guard (Spain) or Spanish Civil Guard intercepts a van loaded with 950 kg of explosives that ETA intended to use to blow up Torre Picasso in Madrid, Spain.
Day of Week 22nd » Korean Air Cargo Flight 8509, a Boeing 747 747-200 called Boeing 747-200F crashes shortly after take-off from London Stansted Airport due to pilot error. All 4 crew members are killed.
Day of Week 24th » Indian Airlines Flight 814 hijacked in Indian airspace between Kathmandu, Nepal, and Delhi, India; aircraft eventually landed at Kandahar, Afghanistan. Ordeal ended on December 31 with the release of 190 survivors (1 passenger killed).
Day of Week 26th » The storm Cyclone Lothar or Lothar sweeps across Central Europe, killing 137 and causing US$1.3 billion in damage.
Day of Week 31st » First President of Russia, Boris Yeltsin, resigns from office, leaving Prime Minister of Russia e.g Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as the acting President and successor.
31st » The United States Government hands control of the Panama Canal (as well all the adjacent land to the canal known as the Panama Canal Zone) to Panama. This act complied with the signing of the 1977 Torrijos–Carter Treaties.
31st » Indian Airlines Flight 814 hijacking ended after seven days with the release of 190 survivors at Kandahar Airport, Afghanistan.