August - Definition and Overview

See August (album) for the album by Eric Clapton.

August is the eighth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days.

August starts in Leo and ends in Virgo.

In the wheel of the year August begins at or near Imbolc in the southern hemisphere and a few days before the midpoint between winter solstice and spring equinox. In the northern hemisphere it has a corresponding position with respect to Lughnasadh, between summer solstice and spring equinox.

History

August was named in honor of Augustus Caesar. The month reputedly has 31 days because Augustus wanted as many days as Julius Caesar's July. Augustus placed the month where it is because that's when Cleopatra died. Before Augustus renamed August, it was called Sextilis in Latin, since it was the sixth month in the Roman calendar which started in March.

Other names

In Ireland, (in the Irish language) August is known as Lúnasa, a modern rendition of Lughnasadh, named after the god Lugh and August 1, (Lá Lúnasa) in the Irish Calendar is still regarded as the first day of Autumn. The first Monday in August is one of the public holidays in the Republic of Ireland.

Trivia=

• August begins on the same day of the week as February in a leap year.

• August's flower is the poppy.
• August's birthstone is the peridot.

See also

• Historical anniversaries