2012Calendar of Astronomical Events

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