2012Calendar of Astronomical Events

    
2012Phases of the Moon
Gulf Standard Time
The following table gives the date and time of the Moon's phases for the year. The times listed are for Gulf 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   
      Gulf Standard Time
 New Moon  First Quarter  Full Moon  Last Quarter 
- Jan  1  10:15    Jan  9  11:30    Jan 16  13:08   
 Jan 23  11:39    Jan 31  08:10    Feb  8  01:54    Feb 14  21:04   
 Feb 22  02:35    Mar  1  05:22    Mar  8  13:40    Mar 15  05:25   
 Mar 22  18:37    Mar 30  23:41    Apr  6  23:19    Apr 13  14:50   
 Apr 21  11:18    Apr 29  13:58    May  6  07:35    May 13  01:47   
 May 21  03:47 A  May 29  00:16    Jun  4  15:12 p  Jun 11  14:41   
 Jun 19  19:02    Jun 27  07:30    Jul  3  22:52    Jul 11  05:48   
 Jul 19  08:24    Jul 26  12:56    Aug  2  07:27    Aug  9  22:55   
 Aug 17  19:54    Aug 24  17:54    Aug 31  17:58    Sep  8  17:15   
 Sep 16  06:11    Sep 22  23:41    Sep 30  07:19    Oct  8  11:33   
 Oct 15  16:02    Oct 22  07:32    Oct 29  23:50    Nov  7  04:36   
 Nov 14  02:08 T  Nov 20  18:31    Nov 28  18:46 n  Dec  6  19:32   
 Dec 13  12:42    Dec 20  09:19    Dec 28  14:21   -
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
Gulf Standard Time
The following table gives the date and time of the important astronomical events for the year. The times listed are for Gulf 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   
   Gulf Standard Time  
 January - June   July - December 
Date     GST   Event        (h:m)Jan 01  10:15  FIRST QUARTER MOON     03  00:19  Moon at Apogee: 404580 km    03  06:46  Jupiter 5.0°S of Moon    04  11     Quadrantid Meteor Shower    05  05     Earth at Perihelion: 0.98328 AU    05  13:17  Pleiades 2.8°N of Moon    06  11:43  Aldebaran 5.8°S of Moon    06  18:30  Moon at Descending Node     09  11:30  FULL MOON     12  17:04  Regulus 5.9°N of Moon    16  11:21  Spica 2.0°N of Moon    16  13:08  LAST QUARTER MOON     16  23:07  Saturn 6.4°N of Moon    18  01:28  Moon at Perigee: 369883 km    18  10     Mercury at Aphelion     19  14:59  Antares 4.2°S of Moon    19  22:26  Moon at Ascending Node     23  11:39  NEW MOON     30  18:38  Jupiter 4.5°S of Moon    30  21:42  Moon at Apogee: 404325 km    31  08:10  FIRST QUARTER MOON Feb 01  21:42  Pleiades 3.0°N of Moon    02  20:22  Aldebaran 5.7°S of Moon    03  00:02  Moon at Descending Node     07  13     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     08  01:54  FULL MOON     09  00:43  Regulus 5.8°N of Moon    11  22:32  Moon at Perigee: 367920 km    12  16:47  Spica 1.8°N of Moon    13  05:08  Saturn 6.2°N of Moon    14  21:04  LAST QUARTER MOON     15  20:35  Antares 4.4°S of Moon    16  00:16  Moon at Ascending Node     16  01     Mars at Aphelion:  1.66598 AU    20  00     Neptune in Conjunction with Sun     22  02:35  NEW MOON     26  01:44  Venus 3.3°S of Moon    27  10:16  Jupiter 3.8°S of Moon    27  18:01  Moon at Apogee: 404864 km    29  05:46  Pleiades 3.3°N of MoonMar 01  02:37  Moon at Descending Node     01  04:45  Aldebaran 5.4°S of Moon    01  05:22  FIRST QUARTER MOON     02  09     Mercury at Perihelion     03  23     Mars at Opposition     05  13     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 18.2°E    07  10:36  Regulus 5.8°N of Moon    08  13:40  FULL MOON     10  14:02  Moon at Perigee: 362401 km    11  00:20  Spica 1.5°N of Moon    11  11:00  Saturn 6.2°N of Moon    14  00:41  Moon at Ascending Node     14  02     Venus 3.0°N of Jupiter    14  02:10  Antares 4.7°S of Moon    15  05:25  LAST QUARTER MOON     20  09:15  Vernal Equinox     21  05     Venus at Perihelion     21  23     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     22  18:37  NEW MOON     24  22     Uranus in Conjunction with Sun     26  03:57  Jupiter 3.1°S of Moon    26  10:04  Moon at Apogee: 405780 km    26  22:21  Venus 1.8°N of Moon    27  11     Venus at Greatest Elong: 46.0°E    27  12:56  Pleiades 3.5°N of Moon    28  04:19  Moon at Descending Node     28  12:07  Aldebaran 5.2°S of Moon    30  23:41  FIRST QUARTER MOON Apr 03  17:18  Venus 0.4°S of Pleiades    03  21:10  Regulus 5.9°N of Moon    06  23:19  FULL MOON     07  10:24  Spica 1.5°N of Moon    07  18:07  Saturn 6.3°N of Moon    07  20:59  Moon at Perigee: 358314 km    10  04:47  Moon at Ascending Node     10  09:54  Antares 4.9°S of Moon    13  14:50  LAST QUARTER MOON     15  22     Saturn at Opposition     16  06:18  Mars 0.7°N of Regulus    18  21     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 27.5°W    21  11:18  NEW MOON     22  09     Lyrid Meteor Shower    22  17:49  Moon at Apogee: 406422 km    23  19:15  Pleiades 3.6°N of Moon    24  07:43  Moon at Descending Node     24  18:27  Aldebaran 5.0°S of Moon    25  06:21  Venus 5.7°N of Moon    29  13:58  FIRST QUARTER MOON May 01  06:31  Regulus 6.1°N of Moon    04  21:26  Spica 1.5°N of Moon    04  22     Eta-Aquarid Meteor Shower    05  02:04  Saturn 6.4°N of Moon    06  07:33  Moon at Perigee: 356954 km    06  07:35  FULL MOON     07  13:43  Moon at Ascending Node     07  19:57  Antares 5.0°S of Moon    13  01:47  LAST QUARTER MOON     13  17     Jupiter in Conjunction with Sun     19  20:13  Moon at Apogee: 406451 km    21  03:47  NEW MOON     21  03:53  Annular Solar Eclipse; mag=0.944    21  13:20  Moon at Descending Node     23  00:52  Venus 4.7°N of Moon    27  15     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     28  13:43  Regulus 6.2°N of Moon    29  00:16  FIRST QUARTER MOON     29  09     Mercury at Perihelion Jun 01  07:24  Spica 1.5°N of Moon    01  09:45  Saturn 6.5°N of Moon    03  17:19  Moon at Perigee: 358483 km    04  00:38  Moon at Ascending Node     04  06:51  Antares 5.0°S of Moon    04  15:03  Partial Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.370    04  15:12  FULL MOON     06  05     Venus at Inferior Conjunction     11  13:30  Jupiter 4.7°S of Pleiades    11  14:41  LAST QUARTER MOON     16  05:24  Moon at Apogee: 405791 km    17  07:34  Pleiades 3.6°N of Moon    17  12:23  Jupiter 1.1°S of Moon: Occn.    17  19:43  Moon at Descending Node     18  04:47  Venus 2.1°S of Moon    19  19:02  NEW MOON     20  21:50  Mercury 4.9°S of Pollux    21  03:08  Summer Solstice     21  14:33  Venus 2.2°N of Aldebaran    24  19:18  Regulus 6.1°N of Moon    26  19:02  Mars 5.8°N of Moon    27  07:30  FIRST QUARTER MOON     28  15:04  Spica 1.4°N of Moon    28  16:40  Saturn 6.3°N of Moon
Date     GST   Event        (h:m)Jul 01  06     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 25.7°E    01  09:45  Moon at Ascending Node     01  12     Venus 4.8°S of Jupiter    01  16:42  Antares 5.0°S of Moon    01  22:01  Moon at Perigee: 362363 km    02  18:57  Mercury 1.6°S of Beehive    03  22:52  FULL MOON     05  08     Earth at Aphelion: 1.01668 AU    09  08:13  Venus 0.9°N of Aldebaran    11  05:48  LAST QUARTER MOON     11  14     Venus at Aphelion     12  08     Mercury at Aphelion     13  20:47  Moon at Apogee: 404783 km    14  14:34  Pleiades 3.7°N of Moon    15  00:55  Moon at Descending Node     15  07:02  Jupiter 0.5°S of Moon: Occn.    15  13:40  Aldebaran 4.9°S of Moon    15  19:29  Venus 3.8°S of Moon    19  08:24  NEW MOON     22  00:52  Regulus 5.9°N of Moon    25  02:07  Mars 4.2°N of Moon    25  20:43  Spica 1.2°N of Moon    25  23:29  Saturn 6.0°N of Moon    26  12:56  FIRST QUARTER MOON     28  00     Delta-Aquarid Meteor Shower    28  14:34  Moon at Ascending Node     29  00     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     29  00:21  Antares 5.2°S of Moon    29  12:30  Moon at Perigee: 367318 km    29  15:45  Jupiter 4.6°N of AldebaranAug 02  07:27  FULL MOON     02  17:36  Saturn 4.0°N of Spica    09  22:55  LAST QUARTER MOON     10  14:52  Moon at Apogee: 404125 km    10  22:12  Pleiades 3.9°N of Moon    11  04:04  Moon at Descending Node     11  21:25  Aldebaran 4.8°S of Moon    12  00:25  Jupiter 0.1°N of Moon: Occn.    12  16     Perseid Meteor Shower    13  23:41  Venus 0.6°S of Moon: Occn.    14  02:45  Mars 1.6°N of Spica    15  14     Venus at Greatest Elong: 45.8°W    15  22     Mars 2.7°S of Saturn    16  09:06  Mercury 3.6°N of Moon    16  16     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 18.7°W    17  19:55  NEW MOON     18  19:33  Mercury 2.1°S of Beehive    22  02:04  Spica 1.0°N of Moon    22  07:43  Saturn 5.5°N of Moon    22  11:50  Mars 2.3°N of Moon    23  23:39  Moon at Perigee: 369731 km    24  15     Neptune at Opposition     24  15:38  Moon at Ascending Node     24  17:54  FIRST QUARTER MOON     25  06:02  Antares 5.4°S of Moon    25  08     Mercury at Perihelion     31  17:58  FULL MOON Sep 07  06:08  Moon at Descending Node     07  10:00  Moon at Apogee: 404296 km    08  05:23  Aldebaran 4.5°S of Moon    08  14:59  Jupiter 0.6°N of Moon: Occn.    08  17:15  LAST QUARTER MOON     10  17     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     12  21:09  Venus 3.7°N of Moon    13  12:52  Venus 2.6°S of Beehive    14  16:51  Regulus 5.9°N of Moon    16  06:11  NEW MOON     18  09:05  Spica 0.8°N of Moon    18  18:45  Saturn 5.0°N of Moon    19  06:52  Moon at Perigee: 365749 km    20  00:36  Mars 0.2°N of Moon: Occn.    20  16:54  Moon at Ascending Node     21  11:30  Antares 5.6°S of Moon    22  18:49  Autumnal Equinox     22  23:41  FIRST QUARTER MOON     29  11     Uranus at Opposition     30  07:19  FULL MOON Oct 01  14:56  Mercury 1.5°N of Spica    03  07:35  Venus 0.1°S of Regulus    04  09:15  Moon at Descending Node     05  04:43  Moon at Apogee: 405162 km    05  12     Mercury 3.2°S of Saturn    05  12:58  Aldebaran 4.3°S of Moon    06  00:50  Jupiter 0.9°N of Moon: Occn.    08  11:33  LAST QUARTER MOON     12  02:52  Regulus 6.0°N of Moon    12  23:10  Venus 6.3°N of Moon    15  16:02  NEW MOON     17  05:02  Moon at Perigee: 360673 km    17  05:43  Mercury 1.3°S of Moon    17  22:27  Moon at Ascending Node     18  17:06  Mars 2.0°S of Moon    18  18:50  Antares 5.8°S of Moon    21  00:07  Mars 3.5°N of Antares    21  08     Orionid Meteor Shower    22  07:32  FIRST QUARTER MOON     25  12     Saturn in Conjunction with Sun     27  02     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 24.1°E    29  23:50  FULL MOON     31  14:36  Moon at Descending Node     31  22     Venus at Perihelion Nov 01  19:30  Moon at Apogee: 406050 km    01  19:49  Aldebaran 4.2°S of Moon    02  04:58  Jupiter 0.9°N of Moon: Occn.    05  09     S Taurid Meteor Shower    06  18:32  Mercury 3.0°N of Antares    07  04:36  LAST QUARTER MOON     08  12:13  Regulus 6.1°N of Moon    11  21:52  Venus 5.3°N of Moon    12  05:42  Spica 0.8°N of Moon    12  08     N Taurid Meteor Shower    14  02:08  NEW MOON     14  02:12  Total Solar Eclipse; mag=1.050    14  08:37  Moon at Ascending Node     14  14:21  Moon at Perigee: 357361 km    16  13:40  Mars 4.0°S of Moon    17  05:22  Venus 3.6°N of Spica    17  14     Leonid Meteor Shower    17  20     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     20  18:31  FIRST QUARTER MOON     21  07     Mercury at Perihelion     27  09     Venus 0.5°S of Saturn    27  21:05  Moon at Descending Node     28  18:33  Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.915    28  18:46  FULL MOON     28  23:35  Moon at Apogee: 406366 km    29  02:06  Aldebaran 4.2°S of Moon    29  04:46  Jupiter 0.6°N of Moon: Occn.Dec 03  05     Jupiter at Opposition     05  03     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 20.6°W    05  19:35  Regulus 6.1°N of Moon    06  19:32  LAST QUARTER MOON     09  13     Mercury 6.3°S of Venus    09  16:04  Spica 0.8°N of Moon    10  16:46  Saturn 4.0°N of Moon    11  17:48  Venus 1.6°N of Moon    11  19:57  Moon at Ascending Node     12  04:44  Mercury 1.1°N of Moon: Occn.    13  03:14  Moon at Perigee: 357074 km    13  09:18  Jupiter 4.7°N of Aldebaran    13  12:42  NEW MOON     14  03     Geminid Meteor Shower    18  13:57  Mercury 5.2°N of Antares    20  09:19  FIRST QUARTER MOON     21  15:12  Winter Solstice     22  12     Ursid Meteor Shower    24  07:19  Venus 5.5°N of Antares    25  02:27  Moon at Descending Node     26  01:19  Moon at Apogee: 406101 km    26  04:02  Jupiter 0.4°N of Moon: Occn.    26  08:23  Aldebaran 4.2°S of Moon    28  14:21  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
Europe, Africa, and the Middle East
Below are links to calendars of astronomical events from 2011 to 2020 for five time zones 
in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. 
Choose a time zone and click on a year to get a calendar of astronomical events for that year.
   Calendar of Astronomical Events - Europe, Africa, & Middle East
   GMT    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
   CET    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
   EET    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
   MSK    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
   GST    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
        Time Zones Abbreviations
        • GMT = Greenwich Mean Time 
        • CET = Central European Time (= GMT + 1 hour)
        • EET = Eastern European Time (= GMT + 2 hours)
        • MSK = Moscow Time (= GMT + 3 hours)
        • GST = Gulf Standard Time (= GMT + 4 hours)
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