2012Calendar of Astronomical Events

    
2012Phases of the Moon
Atlantic Standard Time
The following table gives the date and time of the Moon's phases for the year. The times listed are for Atlantic Standard Time(Greenwich Mean Time - 4 hours).If Daylight Saving Time is in effect, add one hour to the times listed. 
   
      2012 Phases of the Moon   
      Atlantic Standard Time
 New Moon  First Quarter  Full Moon  Last Quarter 
- Jan  1  02:15    Jan  9  03:30    Jan 16  05:08   
 Jan 23  03:39    Jan 31  00:10    Feb  7  17:54    Feb 14  13:04   
 Feb 21  18:35    Feb 29  21:22    Mar  8  05:40    Mar 14  21:25   
 Mar 22  10:37    Mar 30  15:41    Apr  6  15:19    Apr 13  06:50   
 Apr 21  03:18    Apr 29  05:58    May  5  23:35    May 12  17:47   
 May 20  19:47 A  May 28  16:16    Jun  4  07:12 p  Jun 11  06:41   
 Jun 19  11:02    Jun 26  23:30    Jul  3  14:52    Jul 10  21:48   
 Jul 19  00:24    Jul 26  04:56    Aug  1  23:27    Aug  9  14:55   
 Aug 17  11:54    Aug 24  09:54    Aug 31  09:58    Sep  8  09:15   
 Sep 15  22:11    Sep 22  15:41    Sep 29  23:19    Oct  8  03:33   
 Oct 15  08:02    Oct 21  23:32    Oct 29  15:50    Nov  6  20:36   
 Nov 13  18:08 T  Nov 20  10:31    Nov 28  10:46 n  Dec  6  11:32   
 Dec 13  04:42    Dec 20  01:19    Dec 28  06:21   -
An eclipse of the Sun can only occur at New Moon (see: Solar Eclipses for Beginners), while an eclipse of the Moon can only occur at Full Moon (see: Lunar Eclipses for Beginners). In any calendar year there are a minimum of two solar and two lunar eclipses.
If an eclipse of the Sun or Moon takes place on a given date, it is noted by a character next to the date in the table above. Solar eclipses are indicated as: T=Total, A=Annular, H=Hybrid and P=Partial.Lunar eclipses are indicated as: t=Total, p=Partial, and n=Penumbral. 
Phases of the Moon Photo Gallery is an image collection showing the Moon's phases over a complete synodic month.
2012Calendar of Astronomical Events
Atlantic Standard Time
The following table gives the date and time of the important astronomical events for the year. The times listed are for Atlantic Standard Time(Greenwich Mean Time - 4 hours).If Daylight Saving Time is in effect, add one hour to the times listed. A key to astronomical terms appears below the calendar.
   
      2012Calendar of Astronomical Events   
   Atlantic Standard Time  
 January - June   July - December 
Date     AST   Event        (h:m)Jan 01  02:15  FIRST QUARTER MOON     02  16:19  Moon at Apogee: 404580 km    02  22:46  Jupiter 5.0°S of Moon    04  03     Quadrantid Meteor Shower    04  21     Earth at Perihelion: 0.98328 AU    05  05:17  Pleiades 2.8°N of Moon    06  03:43  Aldebaran 5.8°S of Moon    06  10:30  Moon at Descending Node     09  03:30  FULL MOON     12  09:04  Regulus 5.9°N of Moon    16  03:21  Spica 2.0°N of Moon    16  05:08  LAST QUARTER MOON     16  15:07  Saturn 6.4°N of Moon    17  17:28  Moon at Perigee: 369883 km    18  02     Mercury at Aphelion     19  06:59  Antares 4.2°S of Moon    19  14:26  Moon at Ascending Node     23  03:39  NEW MOON     30  10:38  Jupiter 4.5°S of Moon    30  13:42  Moon at Apogee: 404325 km    31  00:10  FIRST QUARTER MOON Feb 01  13:42  Pleiades 3.0°N of Moon    02  12:22  Aldebaran 5.7°S of Moon    02  16:02  Moon at Descending Node     07  05     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     07  17:54  FULL MOON     08  16:43  Regulus 5.8°N of Moon    11  14:32  Moon at Perigee: 367920 km    12  08:47  Spica 1.8°N of Moon    12  21:08  Saturn 6.2°N of Moon    14  13:04  LAST QUARTER MOON     15  12:35  Antares 4.4°S of Moon    15  16:16  Moon at Ascending Node     15  17     Mars at Aphelion:  1.66598 AU    19  16     Neptune in Conjunction with Sun     21  18:35  NEW MOON     25  17:44  Venus 3.3°S of Moon    27  02:16  Jupiter 3.8°S of Moon    27  10:01  Moon at Apogee: 404864 km    28  21:46  Pleiades 3.3°N of Moon    29  18:37  Moon at Descending Node     29  20:45  Aldebaran 5.4°S of Moon    29  21:22  FIRST QUARTER MOON Mar 02  01     Mercury at Perihelion     03  15     Mars at Opposition     05  05     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 18.2°E    07  02:36  Regulus 5.8°N of Moon    08  05:40  FULL MOON     10  06:02  Moon at Perigee: 362401 km    10  16:20  Spica 1.5°N of Moon    11  03:00  Saturn 6.2°N of Moon    13  16:41  Moon at Ascending Node     13  18     Venus 3.0°N of Jupiter    13  18:10  Antares 4.7°S of Moon    14  21:25  LAST QUARTER MOON     20  01:15  Vernal Equinox     20  21     Venus at Perihelion     21  15     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     22  10:37  NEW MOON     24  14     Uranus in Conjunction with Sun     25  19:57  Jupiter 3.1°S of Moon    26  02:04  Moon at Apogee: 405780 km    26  14:21  Venus 1.8°N of Moon    27  03     Venus at Greatest Elong: 46.0°E    27  04:56  Pleiades 3.5°N of Moon    27  20:19  Moon at Descending Node     28  04:07  Aldebaran 5.2°S of Moon    30  15:41  FIRST QUARTER MOON Apr 03  09:18  Venus 0.4°S of Pleiades    03  13:10  Regulus 5.9°N of Moon    06  15:19  FULL MOON     07  02:24  Spica 1.5°N of Moon    07  10:07  Saturn 6.3°N of Moon    07  12:59  Moon at Perigee: 358314 km    09  20:47  Moon at Ascending Node     10  01:54  Antares 4.9°S of Moon    13  06:50  LAST QUARTER MOON     15  14     Saturn at Opposition     15  22:18  Mars 0.7°N of Regulus    18  13     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 27.5°W    21  03:18  NEW MOON     22  01     Lyrid Meteor Shower    22  09:49  Moon at Apogee: 406422 km    23  11:15  Pleiades 3.6°N of Moon    23  23:43  Moon at Descending Node     24  10:27  Aldebaran 5.0°S of Moon    24  22:21  Venus 5.7°N of Moon    29  05:58  FIRST QUARTER MOON     30  22:31  Regulus 6.1°N of MoonMay 04  13:26  Spica 1.5°N of Moon    04  14     Eta-Aquarid Meteor Shower    04  18:04  Saturn 6.4°N of Moon    05  23:33  Moon at Perigee: 356954 km    05  23:35  FULL MOON     07  05:43  Moon at Ascending Node     07  11:57  Antares 5.0°S of Moon    12  17:47  LAST QUARTER MOON     13  09     Jupiter in Conjunction with Sun     19  12:13  Moon at Apogee: 406451 km    20  19:47  NEW MOON     20  19:53  Annular Solar Eclipse; mag=0.944    21  05:20  Moon at Descending Node     22  16:52  Venus 4.7°N of Moon    27  07     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     28  05:43  Regulus 6.2°N of Moon    28  16:16  FIRST QUARTER MOON     29  01     Mercury at Perihelion     31  23:24  Spica 1.5°N of MoonJun 01  01:45  Saturn 6.5°N of Moon    03  09:19  Moon at Perigee: 358483 km    03  16:38  Moon at Ascending Node     03  22:51  Antares 5.0°S of Moon    04  07:03  Partial Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.370    04  07:12  FULL MOON     05  21     Venus at Inferior Conjunction     11  05:30  Jupiter 4.7°S of Pleiades    11  06:41  LAST QUARTER MOON     15  21:24  Moon at Apogee: 405791 km    16  23:34  Pleiades 3.6°N of Moon    17  04:23  Jupiter 1.1°S of Moon: Occn.    17  11:43  Moon at Descending Node     17  20:47  Venus 2.1°S of Moon    19  11:02  NEW MOON     20  13:50  Mercury 4.9°S of Pollux    20  19:08  Summer Solstice     21  06:33  Venus 2.2°N of Aldebaran    24  11:18  Regulus 6.1°N of Moon    26  11:02  Mars 5.8°N of Moon    26  23:30  FIRST QUARTER MOON     28  07:04  Spica 1.4°N of Moon    28  08:40  Saturn 6.3°N of Moon    30  22     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 25.7°E
Date     AST   Event        (h:m)Jul 01  01:45  Moon at Ascending Node     01  04     Venus 4.8°S of Jupiter    01  08:42  Antares 5.0°S of Moon    01  14:01  Moon at Perigee: 362363 km    02  10:57  Mercury 1.6°S of Beehive    03  14:52  FULL MOON     05  00     Earth at Aphelion: 1.01668 AU    09  00:13  Venus 0.9°N of Aldebaran    10  21:48  LAST QUARTER MOON     11  06     Venus at Aphelion     12  00     Mercury at Aphelion     13  12:47  Moon at Apogee: 404783 km    14  06:34  Pleiades 3.7°N of Moon    14  16:55  Moon at Descending Node     14  23:02  Jupiter 0.5°S of Moon: Occn.    15  05:40  Aldebaran 4.9°S of Moon    15  11:29  Venus 3.8°S of Moon    19  00:24  NEW MOON     21  16:52  Regulus 5.9°N of Moon    24  18:07  Mars 4.2°N of Moon    25  12:43  Spica 1.2°N of Moon    25  15:29  Saturn 6.0°N of Moon    26  04:56  FIRST QUARTER MOON     27  16     Delta-Aquarid Meteor Shower    28  06:34  Moon at Ascending Node     28  16     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     28  16:21  Antares 5.2°S of Moon    29  04:30  Moon at Perigee: 367318 km    29  07:45  Jupiter 4.6°N of AldebaranAug 01  23:27  FULL MOON     02  09:36  Saturn 4.0°N of Spica    09  14:55  LAST QUARTER MOON     10  06:52  Moon at Apogee: 404125 km    10  14:12  Pleiades 3.9°N of Moon    10  20:04  Moon at Descending Node     11  13:25  Aldebaran 4.8°S of Moon    11  16:25  Jupiter 0.1°N of Moon: Occn.    12  08     Perseid Meteor Shower    13  15:41  Venus 0.6°S of Moon: Occn.    13  18:45  Mars 1.6°N of Spica    15  06     Venus at Greatest Elong: 45.8°W    15  14     Mars 2.7°S of Saturn    16  01:06  Mercury 3.6°N of Moon    16  08     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 18.7°W    17  11:55  NEW MOON     18  11:33  Mercury 2.1°S of Beehive    21  18:04  Spica 1.0°N of Moon    21  23:43  Saturn 5.5°N of Moon    22  03:50  Mars 2.3°N of Moon    23  15:39  Moon at Perigee: 369731 km    24  07     Neptune at Opposition     24  07:38  Moon at Ascending Node     24  09:54  FIRST QUARTER MOON     24  22:02  Antares 5.4°S of Moon    25  00     Mercury at Perihelion     31  09:58  FULL MOON Sep 06  22:08  Moon at Descending Node     07  02:00  Moon at Apogee: 404296 km    07  21:23  Aldebaran 4.5°S of Moon    08  06:59  Jupiter 0.6°N of Moon: Occn.    08  09:15  LAST QUARTER MOON     10  09     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     12  13:09  Venus 3.7°N of Moon    13  04:52  Venus 2.6°S of Beehive    14  08:51  Regulus 5.9°N of Moon    15  22:11  NEW MOON     18  01:05  Spica 0.8°N of Moon    18  10:45  Saturn 5.0°N of Moon    18  22:52  Moon at Perigee: 365749 km    19  16:36  Mars 0.2°N of Moon: Occn.    20  08:54  Moon at Ascending Node     21  03:30  Antares 5.6°S of Moon    22  10:49  Autumnal Equinox     22  15:41  FIRST QUARTER MOON     29  03     Uranus at Opposition     29  23:19  FULL MOON Oct 01  06:56  Mercury 1.5°N of Spica    02  23:35  Venus 0.1°S of Regulus    04  01:15  Moon at Descending Node     04  20:43  Moon at Apogee: 405162 km    05  04     Mercury 3.2°S of Saturn    05  04:58  Aldebaran 4.3°S of Moon    05  16:50  Jupiter 0.9°N of Moon: Occn.    08  03:33  LAST QUARTER MOON     11  18:52  Regulus 6.0°N of Moon    12  15:10  Venus 6.3°N of Moon    15  08:02  NEW MOON     16  21:02  Moon at Perigee: 360673 km    16  21:43  Mercury 1.3°S of Moon    17  14:27  Moon at Ascending Node     18  09:06  Mars 2.0°S of Moon    18  10:50  Antares 5.8°S of Moon    20  16:07  Mars 3.5°N of Antares    21  00     Orionid Meteor Shower    21  23:32  FIRST QUARTER MOON     25  04     Saturn in Conjunction with Sun     26  18     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 24.1°E    29  15:50  FULL MOON     31  06:36  Moon at Descending Node     31  14     Venus at Perihelion Nov 01  11:30  Moon at Apogee: 406050 km    01  11:49  Aldebaran 4.2°S of Moon    01  20:58  Jupiter 0.9°N of Moon: Occn.    05  01     S Taurid Meteor Shower    06  10:32  Mercury 3.0°N of Antares    06  20:36  LAST QUARTER MOON     08  04:13  Regulus 6.1°N of Moon    11  13:52  Venus 5.3°N of Moon    11  21:42  Spica 0.8°N of Moon    12  00     N Taurid Meteor Shower    13  18:08  NEW MOON     13  18:12  Total Solar Eclipse; mag=1.050    14  00:37  Moon at Ascending Node     14  06:21  Moon at Perigee: 357361 km    16  05:40  Mars 4.0°S of Moon    16  21:22  Venus 3.6°N of Spica    17  06     Leonid Meteor Shower    17  12     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     20  10:31  FIRST QUARTER MOON     20  23     Mercury at Perihelion     27  01     Venus 0.5°S of Saturn    27  13:05  Moon at Descending Node     28  10:33  Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.915    28  10:46  FULL MOON     28  15:35  Moon at Apogee: 406366 km    28  18:06  Aldebaran 4.2°S of Moon    28  20:46  Jupiter 0.6°N of Moon: Occn.Dec 02  21     Jupiter at Opposition     04  19     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 20.6°W    05  11:35  Regulus 6.1°N of Moon    06  11:32  LAST QUARTER MOON     09  05     Mercury 6.3°S of Venus    09  08:04  Spica 0.8°N of Moon    10  08:46  Saturn 4.0°N of Moon    11  09:48  Venus 1.6°N of Moon    11  11:57  Moon at Ascending Node     11  20:44  Mercury 1.1°N of Moon: Occn.    12  19:14  Moon at Perigee: 357074 km    13  01:18  Jupiter 4.7°N of Aldebaran    13  04:42  NEW MOON     13  19     Geminid Meteor Shower    18  05:57  Mercury 5.2°N of Antares    20  01:19  FIRST QUARTER MOON     21  07:12  Winter Solstice     22  04     Ursid Meteor Shower    23  23:19  Venus 5.5°N of Antares    24  18:27  Moon at Descending Node     25  17:19  Moon at Apogee: 406101 km    25  20:02  Jupiter 0.4°N of Moon: Occn.    26  00:23  Aldebaran 4.2°S of Moon    28  06:21  FULL MOON     

 Terms Used in Astronomical Events Calendar 
  • Perihelion - instant when a planet is closest to the Sun
  • Aphelion - instant when a planet is furthest from the Sun
  • Perigee - instant when the Moon is closest to Earth
  • Apogee - instant when the Moon is furthest from Earth
  • Inferior Conjunction - instant when a planet (Mercury or Venus) passes between Earth and the Sun
  • Superior Conjunction - instant when a planet (Mercury or Venus) passes on the opposite side of the Sun from Earth 
  • Greatest Elongation - the maximum angular separation between the Sun and the planet (Mercury or Venus) as seen from Earth 
     - during eastern elongation (E), the planet appears as an evening star; 
     - during western elongation (W), the planet appears as a morning star
  • Opposition - instant when a planet appears opposite the Sun as seen from Earth
  • Conjunction - instant when a planet appears closest the Sun as seen from Earth
  • Occultation - the Moon occults or eclipses a star or planet
  • Ascending Node - point where the Moon crosses from the southern to northern portion of its orbit
  • Descending Node - point where the Moon crosses from the northern to the southern portion of its orbit

  • Aldebaran - bright star in the constellation Taurus
  • Pollux - bright star in the constellation Gemini
  • Regulus - bright star in the constellation Leo
  • Spica - bright star in the constellation Virgo
  • Antares - bright star in the constellation Scorpius
  • Pleiades - bright star cluster in the constellation Taurus
  • Beehive - bright star cluster in the constellation Cancer
Calendars of Astronomical Events: 2011 to 2020
The Americas
Below are links to calendars of astronomical events from 2011 to 2020 for seven time zones in the Americas. 
Choose a time zone and click on a year to get a calendar of astronomical events for that year.
   Calendars of Astronomical Events - The Americas
   AST    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
   EST    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
   CST    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
   MST    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
   PST    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
   AKST    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
   HST    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
        Time Zones Abbreviations
        • AST = Atlantic Standard Time (= GMT - 4 hours)
        • EST = Eastern Standard Time (= GMT - 5 hours)
        • CST = Central Standard Time (= GMT - 6 hours)
        • MST = Mountain Standard Time (= GMT - 7 hours)
        • PST = Pacific Standard Time (= GMT - 8 hours)
        • AKST = Alaskan Standard Time (= GMT - 9 hours)
        • HST = Hawaiian Standard Time (= GMT - 10 hours)
           (where GMT = Greenwich Mean Time)
A time zone may have a different name in different countries. Note the difference in hours between a given time zone and Greenwich Mean Time to help in identification.
For other years and other time zones, visit: Calendars of Astronomical Events.
 
Accuracy of the Astronomical Events Calendars
The goal of the Astronomical Events Calendars is to present a wide range of solar system phenomena with reasonable accuracy. In general, events listed to the nearest hour are accurate to ± 30 minutes.Events listed with a precision in hours and minutes (i.e., hh:mm) are typically accurate to ± 5 minutes or less.  
The following table gives a more detailed breakdown of the accuracy of times for various astronomical events.
Accuracy of the Astronomical Events Calendars
 Solstice/Equinox (Earth)  ± 0.5 minute 
 Aphelion/Perihelion (Earth)  ± 30 minutes;  ± 0.00001 AU 
 Solar and Lunar Eclipses   ± 0.5 minute 
 Phases of the Moon  ± 0.5 minute 
 Moon at Nodes  ± 2 minutes 
 Apogee/Perigee of Moon  ± 5 minutes; ± 5 kilometers 
 Conjunctions of Moon with Star or Planet  ± 10 minutes 
 Conjunctions of Planet with Planet  ± 3 hours 
 Inferior/Superior Conjunctions (Mercury & Venus)  ± 30 minutes 
 Greatest Elongation (Mercury & Venus)  ± 30 minutes 
 Opposition/Conjunction (Outer Planets)  ± 3 hours 
 Aphelion/Perihelion of Planets  ± 30 minutes 

Acknowledgements
All calculations are by Fred Espenak and he assumes full responsibility for their accuracy. Algorithms used in predicting many of the astronomical events are based on Astronomical Algorithms by Jean Meeus (Willmann-Bell Inc. Richmond 1998). 
Permission is freely granted to reproduce this data when accompanied by the acknowledgment: 

Return to: Calendars of Astronomical Events
Return to: Planetary Ephemeris Data