Box-office #1
The Empire Strikes Back
1980 · dir. Irvin Kershner
Wide US release on May 23, 1980. Goes on to become the highest-grossing film of the year.
Sci-fiStar Wars $538M worldwide
On this day
July 23 Thursday, July 23, 2026
A curious almanac of what happened on July 23 across the years — history, birthdays, the songs that ruled the charts, the films that packed cinemas, and the science that nudged the world forward.
12
Events
7
Birthdays
5
Holidays
2005
Disaster 21 years ago
Three bombs explode in the Naama Bay area of Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, killing 88 people.
Three bombs detonate in the Naama Bay resort area of Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, killing 88 people and wounding over 200.
History
What happened on July 23
12 verified entries Full timeline
- 811European history
Byzantine emperor Nikephoros I plunders the Bulgarian capital of Pliska and captures Khan Krum's treasury.
Nikephoros I raids Pliska, capturing Khan Krum’s treasury.
- 1319European history
A Knights Hospitaller fleet scores a crushing victory over an Aydinid fleet off Chios.
A Knights Hospitaller fleet defeats an Aydinid fleet in a significant naval battle near the island of Chios.
- 1632US history
Three hundred colonists bound for New France depart from Dieppe, France.
Three hundred colonists leave Dieppe, France, bound for New France.
- 1677War
Scanian War: Denmark-Norway captures the harbor town of Marstrand from Sweden.
Denmark-Norway captures the Swedish harbor town of Marstrand during the Scanian War.
- 1793European history
Kingdom of Prussia re-conquers Mainz from France.
Prussia recaptures Mainz from French control.
- 1821War
While the Mora Rebellion continues, Greeks capture Monemvasia Castle. Turkish troops and citizens are transferred to Asia Minor's coasts.
Greek forces capture Monemvasia Castle during the Morean uprising, with Ottoman troops and civilians evacuated to the coasts of Asia Minor.
- 1862US history
American Civil War: Henry Halleck becomes general-in-chief of the Union Army.
Henry Halleck is appointed general-in-chief of the Union Army.
- 1992Religion
A Vatican commission, led by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, establishes that limiting certain rights of homosexual people and non-married couples is not equivalent to discrimination on grounds of race or gender.
A Vatican commission concludes that restricting rights for homosexual individuals and unmarried couples does not constitute racial or gender-based discrimination.
- 1999Science
Space Shuttle Columbia launches on STS-93, with Eileen Collins becoming the first female space shuttle commander. The shuttle also carried and deployed the Chandra X-ray Observatory.
Eileen Collins becomes the first woman to command a space shuttle mission, leading Columbia's crew in deploying the Chandra X-ray Observatory.
- 2005Disaster
Three bombs explode in the Naama Bay area of Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, killing 88 people.
Three bombs detonate in the Naama Bay resort area of Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, killing 88 people and wounding over 200.
- 2015Science
NASA announces discovery of Kepler-452b by the Kepler space telescope.
NASA discovers Kepler-452b, a planet similar to Earth in size and orbit around a sun-like star.
- 2018Disaster
A wildfire in East Attica kills at least 102 people. It is the deadliest wildfire in the history of Greece.
A wildfire in East Attica claims over 100 lives, marking the deadliest fire in Greek history.
Born today
Famous birthdays on July 23
7 this date All birthdays
Philipp Otto Runge
German painter and illustrator
Philipp Otto Runge, a German painter and color theorist who played a leading role in the Romantic movement alongside Caspar David Friedrich, was born in 1777.
Born
1777
Died
1810
Adam Dollard des Ormeaux
New France garrison commander
1635 – 1660
Francis Blomefield
English historian and author
1705 – 1752
Jim Hall
American race car driver
b. 1935 · 91
Graham Gooch
English cricketer and coach
b. 1953 · 73
Nikos Galis
American basketball player
b. 1957 · 69
Perro Aguayo Jr.
Mexican wrestler and promoter
1979 – 2015
Music
The number one songs on July 23
Across the years Full chart history
🇬🇧 #1 on July 23, 1981
"Stand and Deliver"
by Adam and the Ants
The dandy highwayman spent five weeks at the top — a brash, glam-pop coronation.
#1 for 5 weeks
Also #1 on this day
- 1965"Ticket To Ride"— The Beatles
- 1972"Metal Guru"— T. Rex
- 2003"Make Luv"— Room 5 ft. Oliver Cheatham
Film & TV
At the movies
Box office #1 and premieres All releases
🏆 Sport July 23, 1982
Aston Villa shock Bayern Munich for the European Cup
In Rotterdam, late substitute Peter Withe scores the winner as Villa lift the trophy on their first attempt.
Read the story
🔬 Science July 23, 2015
NASA announces discovery of Kepler-452b by the Kepler space telescope.
NASA discovers Kepler-452b, a planet similar to Earth in size and orbit around a sun-like star.
Read the storyToday is also
Holidays & observances
5 celebrated today
Birthday of Haile Selassie (Rastafari)
International
Rastafari is an Abrahamic religion that developed in Jamaica during the 1930s
Children's Day (Indonesia)
International
Children's Day is a commemorative date celebrated annually in honour of children, whose date of observance varies by country
National Remembrance Day (Papua New Guinea)
International
This is a list of holidays in Papua New Guinea
Renaissance Day (Oman)
International
The following is a list of public holidays in Oman
Revolution Day (Egypt)
International
Revolution Day refers to the public holiday in Egypt on 23 July, the anniversary of the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 which led to the declaration of the modern republic of Egypt, ending the period of t
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Color is the ultimate in art. It is still and will always remain a mystery to us, we can only apprehend it intuitively in flowers.
— Philipp Otto Runge · born July 23, 1777