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
June 8 Monday, June 8, 2026
A curious almanac of what happened on June 8 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
7
Holidays
2007
Disaster 19 years ago
Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, is hit by the State's worst storms and flooding in 30 years resulting in the death of nine people and the grounding of a trade ship, the MV Pasha Bulker.
Severe storms and floods strike Newcastle, New South Wales, killing nine people and grounding the coal carrier MV Pasha Bulker.
History
What happened on June 8
12 verified entries Full timeline
- 218World history
Battle of Antioch: With the support of the Syrian legions, Elagabalus defeats the forces of emperor Macrinus.
Elagabalus defeats Macrinus with Syrian legion support in the Battle of Antioch.
- 452War
Attila leads a Hun army in the invasion of Italy, devastating the northern provinces as he heads for Rome.
Attila leads his Hun army in an invasion of Italy, laying waste to northern provinces en route to Rome.
- 793UK history
Vikings raid the abbey at Lindisfarne in Northumbria, commonly accepted as the beginning of Norse activity in the British Isles.
Vikings raid the abbey at Lindisfarne, marking the start of Norse invasions in the British Isles.
- 1042UK history
Edward the Confessor becomes King of England, the country's penultimate Anglo-Saxon king.
Edward the Confessor ascends to the throne, becoming England’s penultimate Anglo-Saxon king.
- 1191UK history
King Richard I of England arrives in Acre, beginning the Third Crusade.
King Richard I arrives in Acre, marking the start of the Third Crusade.
- 1663European history
Portuguese Restoration War: Portuguese victory at the Battle of Ameixial ensures Portugal's independence from Spain.
Portuguese forces secure a decisive victory at the Battle of Ameixial, effectively ending Spanish attempts to reclaim Portugal and cementing the nation's independence.
- 1776War
American Revolutionary War: Continental Army attackers are driven back at the Battle of Trois-Rivières.
British and Canadian forces repel a Continental Army attack at the Battle of Trois-Rivières, ending American hopes of capturing Quebec.
- 1783World history
Laki, a volcano in Iceland, begins an eight-month eruption which kills over 9,000 people and starts a seven-year famine.
Laki volcano erupts, causing widespread death and famine in Iceland.
- 1856UK history
A group of 194 Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of the mutineers of HMS Bounty, arrives at Norfolk Island, commencing the Third Settlement of the Island.
A group of 194 Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of the Bounty mutineers, arrive at Norfolk Island, beginning its third settlement.
- 1861US history
American Civil War: Tennessee secedes from the Union.
Tennessee withdraws from the Union, becoming the last state to join the Confederacy.
- 1928War
Second Northern Expedition: The National Revolutionary Army captures Beijing, whose name is changed to Beiping ("Northern Peace").
The National Revolutionary Army captures Beijing, renaming it Beiping.
- 2007Disaster
Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, is hit by the State's worst storms and flooding in 30 years resulting in the death of nine people and the grounding of a trade ship, the MV Pasha Bulker.
Severe storms and floods strike Newcastle, New South Wales, killing nine people and grounding the coal carrier MV Pasha Bulker.
Born today
Famous birthdays on June 8
7 this date All birthdays
🎂 65
Mary Bonauto
American lawyer and gay rights activist
Mary L. Bonauto, the civil rights lawyer dubbed "our Thurgood Marshall" by Representative Barney Frank for her pioneering work against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, turns 64 today.
Born
1961
Turns 65
today
Ralph Yarborough
American lawyer and politician
1903 – 1996
Barbara Bush
American wife of George H. W. Bush, 41st First Lady of the United States
1925 – 2018
George Pell
Australian cardinal
1941 – 2023
William Calley
American military officer
b. 1943 · 83
Sônia Braga
Brazilian actress and producer
b. 1950 · 76
Keith Gill
American financial analyst and investor
b. 1986 · 40
Music
The number one songs on June 8
Across the years Full chart history
🇬🇧 #1 on June 8, 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 June 8, 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 June 8, 2007
Space Shuttle Atlantis is launched on STS-117 carrying two truss segments and solar arrays to the International Space Station.
Atlantis launches with two truss segments and solar arrays for the International Space Station.
Read the storyToday is also
Holidays & observances
7 celebrated today
First Indochina War day (France)
International
The First Indochina War, known alternatively internationally as the French Indochina War, was fought in French Indochina between France and the Viet Minh and their respective allies, from 19 December
Bounty Day (Norfolk Island)
International
Bounty Day is a holiday on both Pitcairn Island, destination of the Bounty mutineers, and on Norfolk Island
Caribbean American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
International
HIV
Engineer's Day (Peru)
International
Engineer's Day is observed in several countries on various dates of the year
Primož Trubar Day (Slovenia)
International
Primož Trubar or Primus Truber was a Slovene Protestant Reformer of the Lutheran tradition, mostly known as the author of the first Slovene language printed book, the founder and the first superintend
World Brain Tumor Day
International
The Deutsche Hirntumorhilfe e
❝
Civil rights are civil rights. Human rights are human rights. This is just basic equality.
— Mary Bonauto · born June 8, 1961