2012 Calendar of Astronomical Events
2012 Phases of the Moon
Greenwich Mean Time
The following table gives the date and time of the Moon's phases for the year. If Daylight Saving Time is in effect, add one hour to the times listed.
| 2012 Phases of the Moon | |||
| Greenwich Mean Time | |||
| New Moon | First Quarter | Full Moon | Last Quarter |
| - | Jan 1 06:15 | Jan 9 07:30 | Jan 16 09:08 |
| Jan 23 07:39 | Jan 31 04:10 | Feb 7 21:54 | Feb 14 17:04 |
| Feb 21 22:35 | Mar 1 01:22 | Mar 8 09:40 | Mar 15 01:25 |
| Mar 22 14:37 | Mar 30 19:41 | Apr 6 19:19 | Apr 13 10:50 |
| Apr 21 07:18 | Apr 29 09:58 | May 6 03:35 | May 12 21:47 |
| May 20 23:47 A | May 28 20:16 | Jun 4 11:12 p | Jun 11 10:41 |
| Jun 19 15:02 | Jun 27 03:30 | Jul 3 18:52 | Jul 11 01:48 |
| Jul 19 04:24 | Jul 26 08:56 | Aug 2 03:27 | Aug 9 18:55 |
| Aug 17 15:54 | Aug 24 13:54 | Aug 31 13:58 | Sep 8 13:15 |
| Sep 16 02:11 | Sep 22 19:41 | Sep 30 03:19 | Oct 8 07:33 |
| Oct 15 12:02 | Oct 22 03:32 | Oct 29 19:50 | Nov 7 00:36 |
| Nov 13 22:08 T | Nov 20 14:31 | Nov 28 14:46 n | Dec 6 15:32 |
| Dec 13 08:42 | Dec 20 05:19 | Dec 28 10:21 | - |
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.
2012 Calendar of Astronomical Events
Greenwich Mean Time
The following table gives the date and time of the important astronomical events for the year. If Daylight Saving Time is in effect, add one hour to the times listed. A key to astronomical terms appears below the calendar.
| 2012 Calendar of Astronomical Events | ||||||||
| January - June | July - December | |||||||
Date GMT Event
(h:m)
Jan 01 06:15 FIRST QUARTER
02 20:19 Moon at Apogee: 404580 km
05 03:59 Earth at Perihelion: 0.98328
06 14:30 Moon at Descending Node
09 07:30 FULL MOON
16 09:08 LAST QUARTER
17 21:28 Moon at Perigee: 369883 km
18 06 Mercury at Aphelion
19 18:26 Moon at Ascending Node
23 07:39 NEW MOON
30 17:42 Moon at Apogee: 404325 km
31 04:10 FIRST QUARTER
Feb 02 20:02 Moon at Descending Node
07 09 Mercury at Superior Conjunction
07 21:54 FULL MOON
11 18:32 Moon at Perigee: 367920 km
14 17:04 LAST QUARTER
15 20:16 Moon at Ascending Node
16 00 Mars at Aphelion
19 20 Neptune-Sun Conjunction
21 22:35 NEW MOON
25 21:44 Venus 3.3°S of Moon
27 06:16 Jupiter 3.8°S of Moon
27 14:01 Moon at Apogee: 404864 km
29 22:37 Moon at Descending Node
Mar 01 01:22 FIRST QUARTER
02 05 Mercury at Perihelion
03 19 Mars at Opposition
05 09 Mercury at Greatest Elong: 18.2°E
08 09:40 FULL MOON
10 10:02 Moon at Perigee: 362401 km
13 20:41 Moon at Ascending Node
15 01:25 LAST QUARTER
20 05:15 Vernal Equinox
21 01 Venus at Perihelion
21 19 Mercury at Inferior Conjunction
22 14:37 NEW MOON
24 18 Uranus-Sun Conjunction
25 23:57 Jupiter 3.1°S of Moon
26 06:04 Moon at Apogee: 405780 km
26 18:21 Venus 1.8°N of Moon
27 07 Venus at Greatest Elong: 46.0°E
28 00:19 Moon at Descending Node
30 19:41 FIRST QUARTER
Apr 03 13:18 Venus-Pleiades: 0.4°S
06 19:19 FULL MOON
07 16:59 Moon at Perigee: 358314 km
10 00:47 Moon at Ascending Node
13 10:50 LAST QUARTER
15 18 Saturn at Opposition
16 02:18 Mars-Regulus: 0.7°N
18 17 Mercury at Greatest Elong: 27.5°W
21 07:18 NEW MOON
22 13:49 Moon at Apogee: 406422 km
24 03:43 Moon at Descending Node
25 02:21 Venus 5.7°N of Moon
29 09:58 FIRST QUARTER
May 06 03:33 Moon at Perigee: 356954 km
06 03:35 FULL MOON
07 09:43 Moon at Ascending Node
12 21:47 LAST QUARTER
13 13 Jupiter-Sun Conjunction
19 16:13 Moon at Apogee: 406451 km
20 23:47 NEW MOON
20 23:54 Annular Solar Eclipse; mag=0.943
21 09:20 Moon at Descending Node
22 20:52 Venus 4.7°N of Moon
27 11 Mercury at Superior Conjunction
28 20:16 FIRST QUARTER
29 05 Mercury at Perihelion
Jun 03 13:19 Moon at Perigee: 358483 km
03 20:38 Moon at Ascending Node
04 11:04 Partial Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.366
04 11:12 FULL MOON
06 01 Venus at Inferior Conjunction
11 09:30 Jupiter-Pleiades: 4.7°S
11 10:41 LAST QUARTER
16 01:24 Moon at Apogee: 405791 km
17 08:23 Jupiter 1.1°S of Moon: Occn.
17 15:43 Moon at Descending Node
18 00:47 Venus 2.1°S of Moon
19 15:02 NEW MOON
20 17:50 Mercury-Pollux: 4.9°S
20 23:08 Summer Solstice
21 10:33 Venus-Aldebaran: 2.2°N
27 03:30 FIRST QUARTER
|
Date GMT Event
(h:m)
Jul 01 02 Mercury at Greatest Elong: 25.7°E
01 05:45 Moon at Ascending Node
01 18:01 Moon at Perigee: 362363 km
02 14:57 Mercury-Beehive: 1.6°S
03 18:52 FULL MOON
04 23:59 Earth at Aphelion: 1.01668
09 04:13 Venus-Aldebaran: 0.9°N
11 01:48 LAST QUARTER
11 10 Venus at Aphelion
12 04 Mercury at Aphelion
13 16:47 Moon at Apogee: 404783 km
14 20:55 Moon at Descending Node
15 03:02 Jupiter 0.5°S of Moon: Occn.
15 15:29 Venus 3.8°S of Moon
19 04:24 NEW MOON
24 22:07 Mars 4.2°N of Moon
26 08:56 FIRST QUARTER
28 10:34 Moon at Ascending Node
28 20 Mercury at Inferior Conjunction
29 08:30 Moon at Perigee: 367318 km
29 11:45 Jupiter-Aldebaran: 4.6°N
Aug 02 03:27 FULL MOON
02 13:36 Saturn-Spica: 4.0°N
09 18:55 LAST QUARTER
10 10:52 Moon at Apogee: 404125 km
11 00:04 Moon at Descending Node
11 20:25 Jupiter 0.1°N of Moon: Occn.
13 19:41 Venus 0.6°S of Moon: Occn.
13 22:45 Mars-Spica: 1.6°N
15 10 Venus at Greatest Elong: 45.8°W
16 12 Mercury at Greatest Elong: 18.7°W
17 15:55 NEW MOON
18 15:33 Mercury-Beehive: 2.1°S
22 07:50 Mars 2.3°N of Moon
23 19:39 Moon at Perigee: 369731 km
24 11 Neptune at Opposition
24 11:38 Moon at Ascending Node
24 13:54 FIRST QUARTER
25 04 Mercury at Perihelion
31 13:58 FULL MOON
Sep 07 02:08 Moon at Descending Node
07 06:00 Moon at Apogee: 404296 km
08 10:59 Jupiter 0.6°N of Moon: Occn.
08 13:15 LAST QUARTER
10 13 Mercury at Superior Conjunction
12 17:09 Venus 3.7°N of Moon
13 08:52 Venus-Beehive: 2.6°S
16 02:11 NEW MOON
18 14:45 Saturn 5.0°N of Moon
19 02:52 Moon at Perigee: 365749 km
19 20:36 Mars 0.2°N of Moon: Occn.
20 12:54 Moon at Ascending Node
22 14:49 Autumnal Equinox
22 19:41 FIRST QUARTER
29 07 Uranus at Opposition
30 03:19 FULL MOON
Oct 01 10:56 Mercury-Spica: 1.5°N
03 03:35 Venus-Regulus: 0.1°S
04 05:15 Moon at Descending Node
05 00:43 Moon at Apogee: 405162 km
05 08 Mercury-Saturn: 3.2°
05 20:50 Jupiter 0.9°N of Moon: Occn.
08 07:33 LAST QUARTER
12 19:10 Venus 6.3°N of Moon
15 12:02 NEW MOON
17 01:02 Moon at Perigee: 360673 km
17 01:43 Mercury 1.3°S of Moon
17 18:27 Moon at Ascending Node
18 13:06 Mars 2.0°S of Moon
20 20:07 Mars-Antares: 3.5°N
22 03:32 FIRST QUARTER
25 08 Saturn-Sun Conjunction
26 22 Mercury at Greatest Elong: 24.1°E
29 19:50 FULL MOON
31 10:36 Moon at Descending Node
31 18 Venus at Perihelion
Nov 01 15:30 Moon at Apogee: 406050 km
02 00:58 Jupiter 0.9°N of Moon: Occn.
06 14:32 Mercury-Antares: 3.0°N
07 00:36 LAST QUARTER
11 17:52 Venus 5.3°N of Moon
13 22:08 NEW MOON
13 22:12 Total Solar Eclipse; mag=1.050
14 04:37 Moon at Ascending Node
14 10:21 Moon at Perigee: 357361 km
16 09:40 Mars 4.0°S of Moon
17 01:22 Venus-Spica: 3.6°N
17 16 Mercury at Inferior Conjunction
20 14:31 FIRST QUARTER
21 03 Mercury at Perihelion
27 17:05 Moon at Descending Node
28 14:34 Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.909
28 14:46 FULL MOON
28 19:35 Moon at Apogee: 406366 km
29 00:46 Jupiter 0.6°N of Moon: Occn.
Dec 03 01 Jupiter at Opposition
04 23 Mercury at Greatest Elong: 20.6°W
06 15:32 LAST QUARTER
09 09 Mercury-Venus: 6.3°
10 12:46 Saturn 4.0°N of Moon
11 13:48 Venus 1.6°N of Moon
11 15:57 Moon at Ascending Node
12 23:14 Moon at Perigee: 357074 km
13 05:18 Jupiter-Aldebaran: 4.7°N
13 08:42 NEW MOON
18 09:57 Mercury-Antares: 5.2°N
20 05:19 FIRST QUARTER
21 11:12 Winter Solstice
24 03:19 Venus-Antares: 5.5°N
24 22:27 Moon at Descending Node
25 21:19 Moon at Apogee: 406101 km
26 00:02 Jupiter 0.4°N of Moon: Occn.
28 10:21 FULL MOON
|
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- Perihelion - the position in a planet's orbit closest to the Sun
- Aphelion - the position in a planet's orbit furthest from the Sun
- Perigee - the position in the Moon's orbit closest to Earth
- Apogee - the position in the Moon's orbit furthest from Earth
- Inferior Conjunction - Mercury or Venus passes between Earth and the Sun
- Superior Conjunction - Mercury or Venus passes on the opposite side of the Sun from Earth
- Greatest Elongation - elongation is the angle between the Sun and a planet 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 - the position in a planet's orbit when it appears opposite the Sun as seen from Earth
- Conjunction - the position in a planet's orbit when it appears closest the Sun as seen from Earth
- Occultation - the Moon occults or eclipses a star or planet
- Ascending Node - the point where a planet crosses from the southern to northern portion of its orbit
- Descending Node - the point where a planet crosses from the northern to the southern portion of its orbit
Calendars for Other Years and Time Zones
The table below contains links to astronomical events calendars for a range of years and Time Zones. Abbreviations for the time zones are: GMT = Greenwich Mean Time, AST = Atlantic Standard Time, EST = Eastern Standard Time, CST = Central Standard Time, MST = Mountain Standard Time, PST = Pacific Standard Time, AKST = Alaskan Standard Time, and HST = Hawaiian Standard Time.
| Calendar of Astronomical Events | |||||||||||||||
| GMT | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| AST | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| EST | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| CST | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| MST | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| PST | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| AKST | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| HST | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
For years or time zones not covered above, please visit SKYCAL the astronomical events calendar generator.