YURI’S NIGHT, April 12, 2026, Global

Yuri’s Night is celebrated by space aficionados around the world on April 12 every year (or thereabouts) to commemorate the launch of the first human being in space — the Soviet Union’s Yuri Gagarin on April 12, 1961.

Coincidentally, April 12, 1981 is the anniversary of the first launch of the U.S. space shuttle (it was supposed to launch on April 10 but was delayed two days), so the celebration usually includes both.

More information about Yuri’s Night is on the event’s website.