November 16: What Happened on This Day in History

• 2022: NASA successfully launched the Artemis I mission using the Space Launch System (SLS), marking a significant milestone in humanity's return to lunar exploration. This uncrewed mission is the first step in NASA's ambitious Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon and establish a sustainable lunar presence.
• 2020: President Trump made a complex and contradictory statement about the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election, briefly acknowledging Joe Biden's victory before immediately challenging the legitimacy of the election results. Despite Biden winning 306 electoral votes and over five million popular votes, Trump insisted the election was 'rigged' and refused to concede. This moment highlighted the unprecedented post-election tension in American politics.
• 2019: On November 16, 2019, a tense election-related incident occurred near Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, where unidentified gunmen attempted to intimidate Muslim voters by firing shots at two buses transporting voters to polling stations. Despite the provocative attack, no casualties were reported, and the local law enforcement did not make any arrests at the time. This event highlights the underlying ethnic and religious tensions that have periodically disrupted Sri Lanka's democratic processes.
• 2011: U.S. drone missiles targeted a compound in Pakistan's South Waziristan Province, killing 13 militants in a precision counterterrorism operation.
• 2010: A devastating truck accident in Battambang, Cambodia, resulted in the death of all 14 passengers when an anti-tank mine exploded, highlighting the ongoing risks from unexploded ordnance in post-conflict regions.
• 2007: Trond Kirkvaag, a notable Norwegian comedian and author born in 1946, passes away.
• 2001: The first Harry Potter film, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone", was released worldwide on November 16, 2001. Directed by Chris Columbus and starring Daniel Radcliffe, the movie was a massive commercial success, grossing US$ 62 million and becoming the second highest-grossing film globally at the time, trailing only behind James Cameron's "Titanic". The film marked the beginning of a transformative franchise that would captivate millions of fans around the world and launch the careers of its young actors.
• 1998: Sesame Workshop (formerly known as Children's Television Workshop) launches Elmo's World, a groundbreaking and beloved segment of Sesame Street. This innovative educational segment would become one of the most recognizable parts of the children's program, running from the late 1990s through the show's 40th anniversary in 2009.
• 1996: A massive $127.5 million Jumbotron scoreboard dramatically fell onto the ice at Buffalo's HSBC Arena hours before a scheduled hockey game, causing significant concern but fortunately resulting in no injuries.
• 1993: The theatrical production "Any Given Day" opened at the Longacre Theater in New York City, running for a limited engagement of 32 performances.

How to check someone's birthday?

If you’re looking for a person's birth date, have a look at our Birthday Search Guide

November 16th marks the 320th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (or the 321st in case of leap years).

There are 45 days remaining until the end of the year.

November 16th is the 16th day of the month of November.

What day of the week is November 16?

On November 16th, 2025 the day of the week is Sunday.

Holidays and Observances on November 16

The zodiac sign associated with November 16th is Scorpio according to the Western Zodiac.

More about November 16 zodiac

What is special about the Scorpio sign?

• Scorpio personality traits and attitude
• Scorpio most and least compatible signs
• Why November born are so special